[Question #12499] CMV, EBV. Confused
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7 months ago
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Dear Doctors, I have CMV and EBV. I get confusing info about them. Recently I saw a list of infections to be tested for before sex and CMV was there. On the other hand, I was told that it is a kids' virus almost everyone has and that I don't need to take any precautions in my daily life or sexually 1.. If it is transmitted through all secretions like saliva and tears, does it mean I can infect people in daily situations? What about sneezing? If someone touches my used paper tissue? Sharing glasses? I don't do it but there are people who do. If I just forget about it, what about pregnant people or people with HIV and other conditions? As you can see from my previous comment there is a situation like that in my life currently.
2.Am I considered as someone with an STI?
3.Should I disclose it and in which situations?
4.If I don't say anything, wouldn't it be like hiding smth?
5. What activities are absolutely safe if there are any?
6. What is a responsible way of dealing with it?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
7 months ago
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Welcome back. But after reading your recent thread with Dr. Hook, I don't really understand why you found it necessary.
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Although EBV and CMV can be sexually transmitted, they are not generally considered STIs so this is somewhat off topic for our forum. Thus my replies are brief.
1. You will probably never transmit either of these viruses to anyone else by any kind of contact. Over 90% of all people are infected with EBV and CMV by the time they reach adulthood, therefore are not susceptible to new infection. And your infections almost certainly are inactive and not transmissible at this time.
2. No, you are not considered to have an STI on account of EBV or CMV.
3. Disclose? Nope, no need in any situation, sexual or otherwise.
4. You're not hiding anything that matters. You're just like almost all adults.
5. Any and all personal interactions with other persons, including sex of any kind, are safe.
6. The main responsibility is to yourself: Do not let CMV or EBV interfere in any way with your sexuality or any other aspects of life.
I hope these comments settle things for you. Let me know if anything remains unclear.
HHH, MD
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7 months ago
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Dear Dr. Hunter Handsfield, thank you very much for your reply. I am concerned that I can transmit it to someone who can get problems from it. I was once told I have to talk about it if my partner has HIV or other conditions. On the other hand, I was also told it only is a problem when a person has advanced AIDS.
1.As far as I understood you are also an HIV expert, what is your stance on it?
2. What about contact with pregnant women? Stats are different, some say that about a half
are succeptible.
3. Can you give me some tips how can I disclose it?
Thank you very much.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
7 months ago
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1,2. Whether or not you are in personal contact with HIV infected or pregnant persons, they will not be at risk for EBV or CMV from you. Probably not even with sexual contact, and certainly not with less intimate contact.
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3. You do not need to mention or disclose either of these to anybody, under any circumstances.
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7 months ago
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Thank you very much. I guess I have one more opportunity to ask.
Can HPV be transmitted through tongue kissing? Can it be completely eliminated from the body or just goes into a dormant state? Can I get herpetic whitlow from a handjob if the man has HSV?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
7 months ago
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The opportunity for follow-up is for discussion and clarification of the initial questions, not to raise new topics. I'll just say that HPV is not believed to commonly be transmitted by kissing, although it might happen on rare occasions. The biology of HPV infection is complex and not completely understood. HPV DNA may persist for life but usually remains inactive ("dormant"), with negative test results, no symptoms, and no transmission to partners. However, reactivation is not rare; it explains most abnormal Pap smears after age 30.
Herpes whitlow conceivably could happen if there were a pre-existing wound on the finger. If it does, it's very rare; I've never seen nor heard of such a case. Most whitlows occur simultaneously with newly acquired genital or oral herpes.
In my last reply, I didn't respond to your question about CMV or EBV risks in persons with AIDS. They certainly can have problems with these viruses; so can anyone with serious immunosuppression, e.g. from cancer chemotherapy. But in all such cases, they do not acquire CMV or EBV from other persons. The problem is reactivation of their own lifelong infections, mostly acquired long before they became infected with HIV.
---That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.