[Question #3125] HSV1 - oral sex transmission

91 months ago

Hello the expert team.

One week ago I had a little invisible-thing-pimple on my lip (I'm used to having cold sore 3/4 times a year from youth) but it didn't look like my usual cold sore and wasn't at the same usual place, and I didnt realize it was that.

I gave short oral sex then had sex with my boyfriend the same night. The day after the little thing was an official cold sore.

I think there was no direct contact between "the pre cold sore" (it was situated down my lip) and his penis but :

- what are the odds that I transmitted it to my boyfriend's genital ? He has cold sore also sometimes and I was hoping he may be "protected" thanks to antibodies ? He is very healthy also.

- what are the chance that I did auto-inoculate the virus to my genital after, when we had sex, if the virus would stay on his penis ? I also have usual cold sores since childhood, so do I have antibodies that prevent me from having it to genital ?

- How a first crisis should be if we should expect one ?

- If I wait 10 days and nothing happen for me and him, does it mean we are ok ? When can I be relieved from worrying ?

Thank you very much for your time and I wish you a very happy festive season.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

91 months ago

Since you both have a history of oral herpes, I think the risk to your boyfriend and thereby risk to you is incredibly incredibly small that he would get it and then transfer it to you. I cannot say it is impossible but I have seen or heard of it happening only once or twice in 33 years. Yes, if you wait 10 days and see nothing genitally, I believe you are in the clear! What you ask is a very common question and I'm glad you found us experts to ask to give you an accurate answer.

Terri
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91 months ago

Thank you so much Terri for your words !

We are now a little bit more than one week, so finger crossed :-)

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

91 months ago

Sounds good. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Terri
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91 months ago

I was just thinking : is there a way to know for sure ?

If I understand well, I will always be positive to HSV1 anyway because of the cold sore.

But does it exist a special test to make sure that your genital is clear from HSV1 ?

Or do we only know that you got it, if one day you have a "crisis" with pimple/lesion in the genital area?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

91 months ago

No, there is no way to know for certain except to swab your genital every day for some very extended period of time, using a PCR test that costs $150 a swab. The only practical way to know is if you develop a genital lesion that is swab test positive for HSV 1.

Terri
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