Hi doctor,

I think it is extremely unlikely that you acquired HSV 1 from this partner - people with oral HSV 1 shed virus on about 25% of days so even if there were no symptoms on her face, she could have been infected with HSV 1.  Also, the IgG test for HSV 1 misses 25% of infections compared to the gold standard western blot so your test may or may not be accurate.  I would agree if you've had no symptoms at all within 15 days, you're probably just fine.  Please let me know what other questions you might have

Terri
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I got tested 4 times before this exposure and all came back negative. So I don't think I had herpes before this. When is the best time to get tested? If I get tested at 6 weeks and came as negative then what are the chances that I did not contract hsv?

The problem with the IgG test for HSV 1 is that is misses 30% (above was a typo - it is 30% not 25% of infections, compared to the gold standard western blot.  Even if you tested with the western blot and it was positive for HSV 1, it could not tell you if your infection was oral or genital or when you contracted it.  If you test at 6 weeks post exposure now, and it is positive, that would suggest new infection, yes, but I would be really quite surprised if it was positive.  Have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose?

Terri
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Never. I did not have cold sores ever in my life . Do you think I am over reacting here and should be confident that I did not contract hsv? 

I think you might be worrying too much yes, I don't know honestly if you've been infected with HSV 1 in the past, given the poor test for HSV 1, but I don't think you contracted HSV 1 at this contact, no.

Terri
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