Aa
herpes transmission
I have had oral herpes Type 1 my whole life (I am 60). Recently, I gave my girlfriend herpes 1 genitally through oral sex. You got very sick. My questions are these: Can she pass the herpes 1 virus back to me genitally and if so, what is the chance? Can I still pass it orally to her and what is the chance. What is the best medicine to take for her outbreaks? I have gotten mixed answers from no, we can't give it to one another to yes we can to a 50-50 chance over time. what is right? Do we need to use condoms when she has an outbreak to prevent her spreading it back to me genitally? She got a second outbreak (a few small blisters) 3 weeks after her initial outbreak. How often can she expect to get outbreaks? Thanks very much for your help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I will answer your questions with general answers. Unfortunately, neither viruses nor humans follow "rules" quite as well as we'd all like. In general genital herpes due to HSV 1 is milder with fewer recurrences and less asymptomatic shedding that genital herpes due to HSV-2. In addition, it is unusual, but not unheard of for a person with HSV-1 to acquire it "back" from a partner at another site. HSV transmission probabilities vary with the amount of virus which is present. There tends to be more virus present sooner after infection (during the first year) than later. Let's work through your questions.
1. See above. She could pass it back to you but it is unlikely. these chances can be reduced with condoms, particularly for the first year or so.
2. You've already passed it to her. Can you pass it to another site. Unlikely, particularly after she has developed her own immunity to her own infection.
3. Antiviral therapy for outbreaks will help. the sooner therapy is taken, the better. Treatment can be with acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir. they all work similarly. The best way to approach treatment is to get the medication and keep it in your medicine chest so that as soon as an outbreak occurs you can begin the treatment. More rapid treatment leads to a better response.
4. People vary in terms of their tendencies to have recurrences. As mentioned above, recurrences are far less common with HSV-1 that HSV-2 and there is not too much information beyond this on recurrence patterns of genital HSV-1. If she has another recurrence in the next few months, she should consider taking "suppressive therapy" (taking medicine daily, even in the absence of recurrences) to prevent recurrences. It is effective and well tolerated.
Additional information about herpes can be obtained by accessing excellent informational web sites such as the one run by the American Social Health Association (disclosure, Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the Board of Directors of ASHA).
Hope this helps. EWH
1. See above. She could pass it back to you but it is unlikely. these chances can be reduced with condoms, particularly for the first year or so.
2. You've already passed it to her. Can you pass it to another site. Unlikely, particularly after she has developed her own immunity to her own infection.
3. Antiviral therapy for outbreaks will help. the sooner therapy is taken, the better. Treatment can be with acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir. they all work similarly. The best way to approach treatment is to get the medication and keep it in your medicine chest so that as soon as an outbreak occurs you can begin the treatment. More rapid treatment leads to a better response.
4. People vary in terms of their tendencies to have recurrences. As mentioned above, recurrences are far less common with HSV-1 that HSV-2 and there is not too much information beyond this on recurrence patterns of genital HSV-1. If she has another recurrence in the next few months, she should consider taking "suppressive therapy" (taking medicine daily, even in the absence of recurrences) to prevent recurrences. It is effective and well tolerated.
Additional information about herpes can be obtained by accessing excellent informational web sites such as the one run by the American Social Health Association (disclosure, Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the Board of Directors of ASHA).
Hope this helps. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Herpaflor has not been studied in clinical research and is not FDA approved for HSV treatmetn. On their website they refer to it as a "nutriceutical". It is composed of a number of nutrtional supplements which have been suggestted by testimonial (as opposed to research) to help herpes. My guess is that it will not hurt. Whether it will help or not is another question. EWH
Second request!!!
I bought Herpaflor online for treatment of herpes 1. what is your opinion of this product?
I bought Herpaflor online for treatment of herpes 1. what is your opinion of this product?
Thanks for your help! What is your opinion of Herpaflor pills and lotion, which I bought online--as a treatment ofr our herpes 1?
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.
