[Question #7553] Chances of Transmitting Oral HSV 1

55 months ago

1. Last year I had an one night stand with a female which ended up with her having an outbreak of HSV 1 in the genital area. I, a male who was aware of having oral HSV 1 from former test results, was told by providers not to worry about transmitting oral HSV 1 since it is common to have it.

2. I've never had a fever blister (cold sore) in my life, and I can assure I've never had any genital warts. My knowledge was that the virus could only be transmitted during an outbreak, which has never happened.

3. After researching, all the signs point to her contracting the virus from me since it happened within a week after the encounter. I do want to know how likely was it that I transmitted it though.

4. How likely am I to transmit the virus to a female's genitals? I have had a little over 10 partners before her and just under 10 partners after her. None of them have received genital HSV 1. They may have had oral HSV 1 before, but I can't confirm. I've read that having oral HSV1 decreases the chance of contracting genital HSV1 significantly, but by how much?

5. I've read into multiple articles and fact sheets about the HSV 1 virus, but I would like a very specific and detailed take on my situation since mine doesn't match up with anything I've seen or heard. I just want to make sure my future partner(s) are safe, because the guilt of the prior situation is indeed heavy, so can you please help me out. Thank you.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

55 months ago

1. How was your oral herpes diagnosed? If you've never had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose?

2. It is incorrect that this virus can only be transmitted when symptoms are present. In fact, most transmission of HSV 2 occurs when someone has no symptoms. This is called asymptomatic shedding.

3. Were you the giver of oral sex to her at this encounter?

4. Yes, having a history of previous HSV 1 infection provides almost complete protection against getting this infection in a new location on the body, that is correct.

5. I think I've answered your questions above - now you need to answer my question about giving her oral sex at this encounter.

Terri

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55 months ago

1. Every time I’ve been tested for STDs, I was positive for HSV 1. When I asked what that meant, I was told that’s normal, and it just means that I probably kissed someone who’s had a cold sore before. (Which I can recollect from high school as true)

2. I’m aware of this now. Is there a way to identify when asymptotic shedding is occurring since I’ve never had cold sore before?

3. Yes ma’am. Oral sex was performed by both parties.

4. That’s reassuring to hear. How likely is it to be transmitted to someone who is both negative for oral and genital HSV 1?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

55 months ago

you recollect from high school that you had a cold sore or that you had kissed someone with a cold sore?

2. I’m aware of this now. Is there a way to identify when asymptotic shedding is occurring since I’ve never had cold sore before?

By definition, asymptomatic shedding is exactly that - without symptoms.

3. Yes ma’am. Oral sex was performed by both parties.

If you were the giver of oral sex to her and you remember possibly have a cold sore in high school (if I am reading that correctly), then giving her oral sex could well have transmitted HSV 1 to her through oral sex.

4. That’s reassuring to hear. How likely is it to be transmitted to someone who is both negative for oral and genital HSV 1?

We don't have that data. But if you transmitted this to her when no cold sore was present then you know you are shedding virus without symptoms. You may wish to consider taking daily antiviral medication to reduce the risk of transmitting by giving oral sex to partners.

Terri

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55 months ago

1. My ex used to have cold sores, but we refrained from kissing whenever she had one. We were together for 3 years, so it could’ve been transmitted back then. I have never had any cold sores though. Anything that is related to HSV 1 has never been present on my body. I only know of me having it from test results after a routine STD screening.

2. & 3. *Answered*

4. Will possibly look into it

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

55 months ago

And it isn't possible to know if your ex has HSV 1 or not, unless they have been tested with the best test. You could certainly have acquired this orally from her when she didn't have any sores as well as when she did.

Terri

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