[Question #1805] Potential Encounter with Herpes

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91 months ago
Two days ago, I ended up being intimate with a girl who apparently has both HSV-1 and HSV-2. The intimacy only led to kissing and fellatio. At first, she had me very comfortable knowing that she hasn't had an outbreak in over 2 years, she is on a daily medication, and that she has been sexual active with other people who have had no issues. However, after doing a lot of my own reading, I've grown very concerned. The statistics I see do not add up, and I am essentially freaking out. I know that symptoms usually show after 2-20 days, and testing will only work after 4-6 weeks. To complicate things, during the fellatio, she ended up causing a small tear in the outer skin of my shaft. I'm not sure if this changes to percentages or not, but it hurts the situation more so. Is there any legitimate information I can obtain, and when is the earliest possible time to try and get tested? I am seeing other people, and am afraid I will have to go into seclusion until I know for sure. Thank you. 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
91 months ago
A single sexual encounter is statistically unlikely to result in  herpes infection, in spite of her having both types of HSV.  You are not at risk of acquiring her HSV 2 infection because as best I can tell, you didn't have contact with her genitals, is that correct?  Have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose? If yes, then you already have HSV 1 infection and are extremely unlikely to acquire it genitally.  I would say, since you have already decided to test, that you might consider getting a baseline IgG test now to determine if you are already infected with either or both viruses.  That way, if you test positive later, you will know this is not new infection.  Then you could test again at 6-12 weeks out.  The vast majority of people who acquire HSV as  new infection will have symptoms within 2-10 days, not 20.

Terri
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91 months ago
Well, I did have my hand near her genitals for a brief period of time; but aside from that there was nothing more. She seem extremely confident that I would not have an issue, but my own neurotic tendencies are causing me to panic. I also didn't know if the skin tear changed anything either; and I've been treating that like I have treated it before (yes, it has happened before...).
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
91 months ago
What does the skin tear look like?  How long has it lasted in the past?
It would be most helpful if you would answer the questions that I posed
Terri
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91 months ago
I've never really had cold sores before; and the only things that I have had that are remotely close, was the Chicken Pox as a child, and impetigo as a teen. The tear is a tiny tiny scab, which I have actually been putting neosporin on daily (something which I have done in the past; it is actually in the same spot as prior tears, as embarrassing as this may be). Usually, it will last for about 3-5 days; as long as it doesn't become irritated with clothing or while bathing. 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
91 months ago
Hmmmm.  That concerns me.  The fact that you have tiny scab and it happens repeatedly, lasting 3-5 days.  Now I really believe that you need an IgG test for herpes to find out if you possibly could already be infected yourself.  How often does the tear happen?  Would you be willing to do that, to test?  This was your last post on this subscription. I seriously hope you will test yourself and find out your own baseline status.  Eighty percent of those infected with HSV 2 don't know they are infected so a baseline test will be useful in determening your status prior to having sex with this person. 

Terri

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