Nice to meet you, and thank you for your time. Since English is not my native language, please excuse any imperfections in my writing.I would like to ask about a concern I have. Five weeks ago, I received a Thai oil massage. The massage lasted about 40 minutes, and at the end, the masseuse performed manual stimulation (a handjob) for about 5 minutes. Afterward, she immediately wiped my penis with a towel, and the massage session ended about 10 minutes later. I then took a shower and washed thoroughly with soap. During the entire session, the masseuse remained fully clothed and wore a mask.  A few days ago, I learned about a condition called herpetic whitlow, and I became worried about the possibility of acquiring genital herpes from that encounter. I did some research, and most sources indicated that receiving a handjob is considered no risk. However, I would like professional clarification on the following points

1. I found data suggesting that 2.4 cases per 100,000 people occur whitlow from both hsv1 and 2 annually. Considering that not everyone with herpetic whitlow seeks medical care, I estimated that the actual incidence might be closer to 24 cases per 100,000 per year. Assuming a global population of 8 billion over 30 years, I calculated an approximate prevalence of 0.72%. Does this seem like a reasonable estimate based on your clinical experience? so Theoretically, transmission of genital HSV through herpetic whitlow is possible, but since herpetic whitlow—especially from HSV-2—is extremely rare, can I reasonably ignore this possibility?

2. Are there any documented clinical cases of genital herpes being transmitted through manual stimulation or herpetic whitlow? Thank you very much for your time and expertise.

1. I found data suggesting that 2.4 cases per 100,000 people occur whitlow from both hsv1 and 2 annually. Considering that not everyone with herpetic whitlow seeks medical care, I estimated that the actual incidence might be closer to 24 cases per 100,000 per year. Assuming a global population of 8 billion over 30 years, I calculated an approximate prevalence of 0.72%. Does this seem like a reasonable estimate based on your clinical experience? so Theoretically, transmission of genital HSV through herpetic whitlow is possible, but since herpetic whitlow—especially from HSV-2—is extremely rare, can I reasonably ignore this possibility?

Dear Terri,

First of all, thank you for your prompt and professional response. Ultimately, the level of concern I am experiencing seems comparable to worrying about whether I might have contracted an extremely rare disease. In reality, the likelihood appears to be almost nonexistent, so is it acceptable for me not to worry and to continue without undergoing any additional examinations?

Best regards,