Hi Dr

Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your questions.  I'll be glad to comment.  I think there are several things for me to point out to you regarding your situation as I address your situation.

The encounter with your co-worker that you describe was a no risk event for HIV.  HIV is transmitted only through penetrative sexual activity and is NOT transmitted by hugging and contact without penetration or from deep kissing.  Further, there has NEVER been a case in which HIV has been proven to have been acquired from receipt of oral sex.  Thus, each of the sorts of contacts you describe were NO risk events for acquisition of HIV.  I would not worry and see no need for testing related to the activities that you have described. 

Regarding your herpes diagnosis.  From your description of your own oral and genital outbreaks, it does sound like you may have both HSV-1 and HSV-2.  As for your wife, it is not clear how her herpes was diagnosed.  If it was from a blood test, I would be cautious since HSV blood tests can be unreliable and difficult to interpret.  If you would like to describe more about how you and your wife were diagnosed, I may be able to offer additional comments. 

Finally, regarding herpes and HIV, you are correct that many studies have suggested that having herpes may somewhat increase a person's risk for acquisition of HIV  however none of the activities you describe place you at risk for HIV, even if you have herpes. 

I hope that this information is helpful.  If anything is unclear or you wish to ask follow-up questions, please use your up to two follow-up posts to seek clarification.  EWH

---

Thank you for your reply. We were both diagnosed by Herpes blood test she was diagnosed with both types of herpes and I am diagnosed with HSV1 only. I am suspecting that the test results are accurate because as I mentioned I got genital outbreaks 4 times in 2 years and oral outbreaks twice in my life and she got only one blister during her period last year and never oral outbreaks. The dermatologist told me that I will get HSV2 eventually because he told me she is your wife and I do not have to wear condom with her. He told me that any dr will advise me to wear a condom when I do sex with my wife but realistically this will not happen. 

You are correct that your co-worker's test results are conclusive and should be believed.  That plus the past that the activities you describe were no risk events means there should be no concerns for HIV.

Regarding herpes, typically HSV-2 only infects the genitals, not the mouth and could sores are due to HSV-1.  You have both genital outbreaks (4 times in two years) and oral outbreaks twice.  Thus I question the accuracy of your blood test showing that you only have HSV-1.  In persons with HSV-1, blood tests sometimes erroneously indicate positive tests for both HSV-1 and -2.  EWH

---

Thank you doctor. Actually I believe that blood testing for Herpes are not very accurate in general. The thing is that I had a blister before and the dermatologist took a swab from it and the result came back No Herpes. So whether I have herpes or no I am fine with that. HIV was is concern because as you know the symptoms may not show up for up to 10 years.

I'm glad your concerns about HIV have been dealt with.

HSV-1 can certainly cause genital herpes as well as cold sores but, when it does it typically does not recur.  OTOH, for HSV-2 to cause oral herpes is extraordinarily rare and is only described in highly exposed men who have sex with men.  I have never seen oral HSV-2 in a heterosexual person.  EWH

---