Last month I had sex with a new partner (including oral and vaginal penetration) and 5 days later developed painful lesions/ulcers on my anus and vagina. I was diagnosed by swab with HSV1 and began valacyclovir for 10 days. Symptoms were aligned with a classic primary outbreak. 

Neither of us had any kind of cold sores, outbreaks or lesions at the time, but I did cut myself shaving before having sex. Partner has never had a cold sore or any bumps/blisters anything on his penis in his life, and to his knowledge hasn’t been with anyone who has had a cold sore, or who has developed these symptoms after sex.

I thought I had cold sores orally since a teen, so at first we assumed that I must have given HSV1 to myself during our encounter by my saliva being so present in the area of my cut. But upon learning how rare it is to be infected twice, I came to suspect that I have never had a cold sore and that I actually have recurring Angular Cheilitis (as my experience has been 1-2 times per year, mild cuts in the corner of my mouth that went away within a week- never blisters and it’s never left the corners of my mouth). I had an IgG antibody test about 2 weeks from infection and tested negative for HSV1 (indicating that this is a new infection and perhaps I am correct that I’ve never had a cold sore). 

I have heard though that if you get cold sores infrequently your antibodies can disappear over time and you could test negative.

In any case, my understanding is that I’ve developed GHSV1 under extremely rare circumstances. My partner can’t get a blood test until 6-8weeks from our encounter, and he still has no symptoms at all and has been examined by a doctor.

My question is, in your opinion, which scenario of transmission is more likely?

A) even though I didn’t have a cold sore when we had sex, my own saliva is the source of this infection? In that case it would mean I do in fact have a history of cold sores, but because my last “outbreak” was 8 months ago, plus I was on antivirals at the time of the test, the blood test showed negative?

B)  my partner has transmitted it to me asymptomatically, and all his partners before were also asymptomatic

I appreciate any insight or stats you can offer on this situation, as on Google there is so much conflicting info.