Several years ago, my long term, asymptomatic partner gave me HSV-1 genitally, confirmed by a culture from below my vaginal opening around my perineum. Since primary outbreak, I have not taken any anti-virals and have not really experienced any confirmed flare-ups-- a few bouts of discomfort that may have been mild flare-ups, but may have been brief soreness from enthusiastic sex. While I find my case is marked by mild to no symptoms, the important work of informing and educating new partners on HSV-1 is something I take seriously. I've had two wonderful, monogamous partners since the man who passed HSV-1 to me and our conversations were not challenging.

When I shared my status with my current boyfriend he shared with me that he was positive with HSV-1 as well, but he does not recall ever having symptoms orally or genitally. His status was confirmed by two blood tests, one from many years ago, and one from a recent STD panel he did before we started having unprotected sex. So, here are a few questions about the function of our antibodies and the risks associated with when we have unprotected oral and vaginal sex:

- Given that we both have HSV-1, can I give him a new infection on his genitals or his mouth? Can he give me a new infection in my genitals or mouth?

- My vaginal opening is on the smaller side so I sometimes feel the impact of sex for about a day. This has been the case all my life, even before HSV-1 was transmitted to me. But, I could see how this may present as a mild flare-up or absolutely nothing at all. Discomfort aside, would you advise not to have oral or genital sex in the instances I feel an undefined soreness that could be attributed to sex or a mild flare-up?

Since you are both infected (and he doesn't know where on his body he is infected), and given that HSV 1 genital infection is rarely active, I think you are good to go without a worry.  It is highly unlikely that either of you will get HSV 1 at a new location on your bodies.  I think it is far more likely that any genital soreness you feel is due to sex, not activation of genital HSV 1.  After two years of being infected with genital HSV 1, the average number of days one would be giving off the virus is only 4 per year!

Terri