My partner has both genital and oral herpes and I don’t have either. We are very communicative about it, and use protection (mostly condoms and oral medication when he can remember to take it) - he rarely has an outbreak but had an oral outbreak about 17 days ago. We waited till the scabs were gone to resume oral sex. He preformed oral sex on me tonight and after we realized he has a canker sore on the inside of his lip. We are 80% sur it is a canker sore based on placement and how it looks. Plus he gets those sometimes. Anyways while it’s not a herpes wound - it’s still a wound in his mouth. Can I contract herpes from direct contact with any general open wound (like HIV is?) or is it only when there is a herpes wound/ asymptotic shedding 

I think the presence of the canker sore is very unlikely to increase the likelihood of you getting HSV from receiving oral sex from him in this situation. The thing is, having a herpes lesion or shedding without symptoms does cover the entire range of things that could be happening at any moment.  I just don't think having a canker sore increases that risk.

Terri