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HSV-1 scare
Doctors, hello. Here's my situation:
I know that I am negative for both HSV1 and HSV2 as of recent bloodtests within the past month. Because I have always been HSV1 negative I have also been anxious about possibly contracting HSV1 genitally, through receiving oral sex.
Last week I had an encounter with a new partner that involved both protected vaginal sex and receiving oral sex (WITHOUT protection.) This occurred on Tuesday evening and then again on Wednesday morning.
I know my new partner had told me that she is HSV1 positive and occasionally gets cold sores. She later told me that on Friday morning, unexpectedly--she normally gets a day or so of prodrome, I think--she got a cold sore.
Now here's my question...I am obviously keeping an eye on myself and looking out for any symptoms. But how worried do I need to be, given that the last sexual exposure with her was Wednesday morning, and the cold sore appeared Friday morning? I know one must 'never say never,' but...can I relax?
And since it's now been just under a week since that last exposure...how long should I actively keep an eye/inspect myself for any symptoms? I seem to remember that no symptoms within 8 days of exposure = pretty good call...
Thank you!
I know that I am negative for both HSV1 and HSV2 as of recent bloodtests within the past month. Because I have always been HSV1 negative I have also been anxious about possibly contracting HSV1 genitally, through receiving oral sex.
Last week I had an encounter with a new partner that involved both protected vaginal sex and receiving oral sex (WITHOUT protection.) This occurred on Tuesday evening and then again on Wednesday morning.
I know my new partner had told me that she is HSV1 positive and occasionally gets cold sores. She later told me that on Friday morning, unexpectedly--she normally gets a day or so of prodrome, I think--she got a cold sore.
Now here's my question...I am obviously keeping an eye on myself and looking out for any symptoms. But how worried do I need to be, given that the last sexual exposure with her was Wednesday morning, and the cold sore appeared Friday morning? I know one must 'never say never,' but...can I relax?
And since it's now been just under a week since that last exposure...how long should I actively keep an eye/inspect myself for any symptoms? I seem to remember that no symptoms within 8 days of exposure = pretty good call...
Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This doesn't change my opinion and advice above. I understood the timing and that she had an overt herpes outbreak. My best guess is that she was not shedding virus 2 days earlier, but that's all it is -- a guess.
And Dr H just wanted to follow up on this, which you may have missed:
And just to clarify, 2 days after our encounter she had an outbreak, period--as in a visible, present cold sore. Not sure if that changes anything, I'm assuming not. Normally she said that the actual emergence of her cold sores is proceeded by a day or so of 'knowing', somehow, that one is coming, but in this case it was more sudden--just an actual cold sore arriving, unexpectedly.
Thank you!
And just to clarify, 2 days after our encounter she had an outbreak, period--as in a visible, present cold sore. Not sure if that changes anything, I'm assuming not. Normally she said that the actual emergence of her cold sores is proceeded by a day or so of 'knowing', somehow, that one is coming, but in this case it was more sudden--just an actual cold sore arriving, unexpectedly.
Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Excellent question. For HSV-2 genital infection, the viral load -- i.e. the amount of virus present -- tends to be lower in asymptomatic gentshedding than during overt herpes outbreaks. I do not know if this has been studied for oral HSV-1. All things considered, the transmission risk probably is lower from asymptomatic shedding than it is during overt oral herpes outbreaks.
And just to clarify, 2 days after our encounter she had an outbreak, period--as in a visible, present cold sore. Not sure if that changes anything, I'm assuming not. Normally she said that the actual emergence of her cold sores is proceeded by a day or so of 'knowing', somehow, that one is coming, but in this case it was more sudden--just an actual cold sore arriving, unexpectedly.
That's truly all from me!
That's truly all from me!
Thanks doctor, you've addressed exactly what I was asking about, I appreciate it.
One more tangential question, if you don't mind...in looking this up I found some stats about the percentage of days per year on which people with various forms of HSV1/2 are asymptomatically shedding the virus. When this is the case, is the viral load being shed just the same as when someone has an active outbreak? Or would it be filed under the 'chance of transmission, but less chance than when physical symptoms are present' category?
Thanks!
One more tangential question, if you don't mind...in looking this up I found some stats about the percentage of days per year on which people with various forms of HSV1/2 are asymptomatically shedding the virus. When this is the case, is the viral load being shed just the same as when someone has an active outbreak? Or would it be filed under the 'chance of transmission, but less chance than when physical symptoms are present' category?
Thanks!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
If I correctly understand, your partner, who has oral herpes, performed unprotected oral sex on you and then had onset of an outbreak about 2 days later. The concern is that she might have been shedding HSV-1 at the time of the exposure.
Most likely, she was not infectious at the time of the exposure, but I cannot say the risk was zero. However, most cases of new genital herpes (whether HSV-1 or HSV-2) start to cause symptoms in 2-5 days -- so you are exaclty right: with no symptoms at 8 days, you can be pretty sure you weren't infected. If you remain symptom-free at 2 weeks and beyond, you can be confident you weren't infected.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
If I correctly understand, your partner, who has oral herpes, performed unprotected oral sex on you and then had onset of an outbreak about 2 days later. The concern is that she might have been shedding HSV-1 at the time of the exposure.
Most likely, she was not infectious at the time of the exposure, but I cannot say the risk was zero. However, most cases of new genital herpes (whether HSV-1 or HSV-2) start to cause symptoms in 2-5 days -- so you are exaclty right: with no symptoms at 8 days, you can be pretty sure you weren't infected. If you remain symptom-free at 2 weeks and beyond, you can be confident you weren't infected.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
