I have a HSV-1 infection localized in my nose with recurring outbreaks every few months. I am usually very careful about touching my nose when I have an active outbreak, but I am now worried I might have given HSV-1 to my girlfriend.

I was in the bathroom and blew my nose with toilet paper whilst having an active infection in my nose. I did not wash my hands afterwards, and a few minutes later I touched her genitals and fingered her. Thinking back, I did not notice any snot or fluids on my hands after blowing my nose, but I am still very worried it went through the toilet paper, orthat I might have gotten the virus on my fingers prior to touching her.

What are the chances that she has got infected from me touching her if I had virus on my hands and fingers?

I really think that this is such a low risk activity, I wouldn't give it a second thought.   So do you know for sure that your girlfriend has never had a cold sore on her lip or in her nose?

Terri

Could you please elaborate on why you consider it a «low risk» activity?

I’ve read on some sites that the virus dies quickly outside of the body, but other sites state that it can survive for longer. How long could the virus survive on my fingers? Is this considered an «easy way» to infect someone? I’m sorry for all the questions, but I am very stressed out about this.

First of all, there was toilet paper between your fingers and your nose, right?  That is an excellent barrier and would pick up, on the nose side of the paper, the majority of the virus that MIGHT have been present, but you don't say that there was an outbreak present at the time.  Even if there was, the paper would have kept the virus away from your fingers.  And in general, the three of us that answer these posts all agree that hands are not a method of transmission, even if there had been direct contact.  Much virus is lost between touching virus and touching something else.  To infect another adult, it actually takes a rather substantial amount of virus, not a tiny amount like you would be thinking.

Terri

I DID have an active infection at the time, which is why Im so concerned.

So worst case scenario, if I did get infected droplets on my fingers, the chance of transmission is still low like you say? I remember them being dry when i touched my gf’s genitals, so it was not like they were soaked in «nose fluids». I also rubbed her underwear prior to this. 

But I cant rule out that my fingers did not come in contact with the nose side of the paper or that they might have gotten some mucous on them when I blew my nose.

Is it so that you need some form of fluid to transfer the virus from wound to hand to genital? Or large amounts of fluids from the lesions? Sorry if my questions are dumb.

Honestly, I still don't feel that this is a risk.  Your questions are never ever dumb!

Terri