Severe Stress

[Tremendous23]

Less than 24 hours I attended a gentleman club in NYC for a friends bachelor party. While I was on the floor i received a lap dance from a young African American woman. During the dance this girls lips met mine for a brief moment, basically a kiss. and she continued to kiss my face briefly. I was very intoxicated and cannot remember exactly her having any sort of lesions or sores. I have very bad anxiety right now that i could have contracted oral herpes, I don't know what to do, I feel like something is going to pop up, or I have it and the symptoms wont appear. HELP DOC!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

NO!!!!!!!
EWH

[Tremendous23]

Should I go get tested again?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Look at yourself.  3 posts in 5 minutes, one of which suggests your life would be "ruined" if you happened to acquire an infection that over half of adults already have.  There is nothing you can do about what is done.  Your risk is tiny.  

Whether or not you got HSV-1 from this (and you have that risk EVERY TIME you kiss anyone) what is done is done.  At this time you need to focus on your anxiety, not your miniscule risk from last night's events.  

Nothing more to say.  EWH

[Tremendous23]

2 weeks sounds like a lifetime I don't know what to do! I just wanna move on

[Tremendous23]

I'm worried symptoms may even be to small that I wont even notice them.

[Tremendous23]

I was tested a year ago and do not have HSV-1. I have never had a cold sore before. I'm just worried Doc that I'm carrying something and don't even know it. I don't want this little event like some kiss ruining my life.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. You do not need to be worried about this exposure.  As you know, other than for cold sores, you are not at risk for any STD from kissing.  As far as HSV-1 infection and risk is concerned, again your risk is tiny.  While about 60% of adults have HSV (most of whom are unaware that they have the infection), in the absence of observed lesions transmission occurs no more than 1 in every 10,000 exposures and probably less.  Thus:

1.  Unless you have already been tested there is a better than 50/50 chance that you already have HSV-1.  If so, you cannot get it again.  That you have never had cold sores makes no meaningful difference in your likelihood of being infected.

2.  Even if she were infected and you were not, the chance of transmission is very, very low.

3.  The sensation you are noting does not represent infection.  When persons acquire HSV at any site symptoms do not appear until at least day 4 following exposure and there are no symptoms that occur in the first 48-72 hours, thus whatever you are experiencing is not HSV.  Further , if you are going to develop HSV-1, you will develop lesions before day 14 following exposure. If at 2 weeks no lesions, no infection.

You really should not worry about this. What is done is done.  Your risk of having gotten HSV from this exposure is tiny.  I hope my comments will help you to conquer your anxiety related to the events you describe.  EWH