Hello, I have a question about whether I may have contracted HSV that is presenting in my throat/back of my mouth only.

I was recently sharing a drink with a friend, in which we were both sipping from the same straw. Later, I realized that she'd had a visible cold sore on the corner of her mouth.

I had no symptoms for 12 days following that, but on the 13th day, I started to feel weak, malaise and developed a fever of around 100 degrees for about 48 hours. During the tail end of that 48 hours, my throat started to hurt. Now, a day or later, the fever is gone and I feel fine other than a persistent sore throat. In the back of my mouth on my throat, there are some red bumps, and lower down there appear to be some white bumps but I can't quite see clearly.

For context, my HSV history:  About two years ago I had a blood test that was positive for HSV-1 and negative for HSV-2. The impetus for that test was a sore on my penis that was concerned was herpes. By the time I got to the doctor that sore had more or less healed, and so a culture wasn't viable. Two months later I had a blood test for HSV and got those results. 

I mention this because from what I've read, the symptoms I experienced this last week (fever, etc.) would indicate a primary infection. And since I already had HSV-1, this was probably not that. I am concerned that it might be a primary HSV-2 infection that I caught via oral-to-oral transmission? Or if my original HSV-1 was in fact genital, could this be a new HSV-1 infection?

I am planning to see a doctor ASAP. What type of test would be best to determine this?

Sorry just wanted to clarify I may have been using "primary" incorrectly. When I mention "primary" above I mean initial.  

First of all, transmission of HSV  via a straw or eating utensils has never been documented to have happened.  Second, IF that kind of transmission was to occur, it would almost always be HSV 1 but you already have that so you won't get it again.  There is no reason to visit a doctor to rule out new HSV 1 but if you are concerned about your sore throat being caused by something else, then sure, get it checked out.  Even if you have HSV 1 genitally and have not experienced symptoms there, it is extremely unlikely that you would then acquire HSV 1 at a new location on your body.

Terri
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Thanks. I wanted to add that the "white areas" in my throat do seem to be ulcers now. And I also have an ulcer/inflammation on the gum line under my front teeth.  Does that change your thoughts at all?

And also, quite different than a typical sore throat, the back of my mouth just hurts even when i'm not swallowing or anything. The sores themselves seem to be painful.  And finally, one last piece of info, before the sore throat came on, the left side of my mouth as kind of numb and tingling. I was keeping a close look out for outside sores when this happened. Those never came, but ones inside my mouth have.

So normally sores in the mouth, without accompanying external sores, are not herpes but that's not always true.  You could be having a recurrence of your own HSV 1 in the throat but the presentation is a bit atypical.  You could surely have it checked out.  It doesn't change my opinion that you have acquired a second case of HSV 1 from sharing a straw, no.

Terri
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