[Question #2076] Oral Herpes from kissing a stripper

88 months ago

Hello,

About 8 weeks ago, I was at a bachelor party, and a stripper kissed me on the lips, it was a brief kiss lasting a few seconds more like a peck than "making out". I was concerned that I may have bee exposed to oral herpes (I understand that there is type 1 which most people have been exposed to, and type 2 which is more the sexually transmitted type. I also understand that herpes isn't considered an STI anymore). Since that time I've had anxiety about it, and whenever I notice a small bump or pimple near my mouth I panic. I've been to the dermatologist twice over small bumps on my lips, and both times it wasn't anything.

In you expert opinion, since its been 8 weeks since potential exposure, and I haven't had any symptoms (blisters or fever). Do I need to worry anymore that I may have contracted herpes? I read that symptoms usually appear within 2-12 days (max of 28 days). Should I worry that say in 3 months or 6 months I might get have an outbreak?

Also, the night of the potential exposure, I went home and masturbated and used spit because I couldn't find my lotion. The next day I noticed that there was a small skin irritation/abrasion on the tip of my penis from the rubbing. It went away within a day, but I was concerned that I may have transmitted the potential herpes to my penis from the spit and abrasion. Is this something I should be worried about or could realistically happen?

I realize you get a lot of questions like this, and my risk was probably very low, but for some reason it's caused me quite a bit of stress/anxiety and I wanted to get an expert opinion on what the realistic chances are that I could have gotten herpes from that encounter. I don't want to continue worrying about this indefinitely.

Thank you very much.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

88 months ago

Let me first say that contracting herpes in the way that you kissed would be extremely unlikely to start with. I am assuming that you've never in your life had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose? If yes, then you already have it and wouldn't get it again

Herpes is definitely still considered an sexually transmitted infection - whether from genital to genital transmission or oral to genital transmission. Cold sores are not considered an STI, that much is correct.

So I don't think you need to worry about this particular contact and I'm glad you came to our forum to get that reassurance.

Terri Warren

---

88 months ago

Hi Terri,

Thank you for the response. No, I've never had a cold sore before. Thank you for providing me with some peace of mind.

One more quick question. Since its been 8 weeks since the encounter, and I haven't had any symptoms, do I need to worry that say in a few weeks or few months from now I might get the first symptoms? Or would I already have gotten symptoms if I had been exposed? Basically, I'm wondering if I'm in the clear now because I haven't gotten any symptoms after 8 weeks.

Thanks.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

88 months ago

It is possible that you could not develop symptoms right away, yes. I think since you were observing so carefully, if there had been even a little symptom, you would have noticed it, but people do get herpes without recognized symptoms, yes. I know this is likely unsettling to you but I'm going to be tell you something that isn't true, simply to calm your mind.

But having said all of that, we need to get back to the exposure - it was so limited, I am not worried about it. And you may already have an asymptomatic herpes infection anyway - most Americans do have HSV 1 infection. I just don't want you to decide to test for antibody at some point down the road and come out positive for HSV 1 and assume you contracted it at this encounter.

Terri
---

88 months ago

Hi Terri,

Thanks for your response. I understand that its possible to have delayed symptoms, or have symptoms and don't know it (although you're right in that I've been monitoring closely and haven't seen anything.

I'm not so much concerned about HSV 1 because I understand most people have the virus.

In your professional opinion, based on the limited exposure I had, is there any need to worry that I contracted oral HSV 2?

Thanks.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

88 months ago

No, I don't believe you contracted HSV 2 oral infection.

Terri
---