Unprotected Oral, Visible Sore

[hikeith]

Hi Doctors,
Here's the situation--freaking me out.  I went for a massage.  The masseuse performed oral sex on me to completion.  When I turned on the lights, I saw what appeared to be a blemish below her lower lip.  Not attached to the lip, but more like between the chin and the lip.  "What's that?" I asked.  She said, "It's all right, I'm just tired."  I took a closer look at it.  I'm no clinician, so I don't know what it was--could be anything from a bad zit to a patch of herpes.  I'm leaning toward the latter, so now of course I'm very unhappy.  I know that elsewhere you say the odds for catching anything with unprotected oral *when there are no visible sores* are low. And that the virus must be massaged in.  But what abou when there is a visible sore in the location and of the ambiguous type I describe?  And of course there was plenty of massage involved, with her using her hand and saliva as lubricant.  I am in a committed relationship and feel foolish about this, and regretful.  How long must I wait without symptoms before having sex with my girlfriend in order to be sure that I am not passing along to her something that I caught because of my foolishness?  Are there tests that would help in this regard?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll try to help.  From the sounds of things there is a fair chance that you were exposed to a cold sore (HSV-1).  Fortunately, most direct exposures to cold sores do not lead to infection.  there are several reasons for this.  First, even though you may have never had a cold sore yourself that you know of. you may have been infected long ago, in childhood and if so, you will not be susceptible to infection since infection with HSV-1 protects from further infection.  Secondly, even if you do not have HSV-1, I would estimate your statistical risk for infection as being less than 1%.  Unfortunately, at this time, there is little you can do but wait to find out.  

If you did acquire genital herpes from this exposure, you should develop penile lesions within 14 days of the exposure at the site of exposure. If you do not develop lesions by 14 days, you do not need to worry.  On the other hand, if you develop lesions of any sort on your penis, my advice would be for you to have the lesions tested with a PCR or culture test for herpes.  There  is no other testing which will be helpful in this situation.

I hope my comment is helpful.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help.  EWH

[hikeith]

Just following up to report that it's been 14 days and still no symptoms, so it looks like you were right.  Thanks for the reassurance and keep up the good work.