[Question #8489] GHSV1 transmission from incident
 |
43 months ago
|
My recent sexual partner dated a woman for 3 years who had genital HSV1 and they didn't use condoms and she didn't take suppression medication. I asked him to get HSV tested prior to us being intimate. His antibody test was positive for HSV1 and a swab test for a sore inside his mouth also tested positive for HSV1.
Based on this, I told him no oral sex and no unprotected genital to skin contact of any kind. About 2 days ago, he rubbed the shaft of his unprotected penis against my labia for about 5 seconds without asking for my consent and it was too late for me to stop him by the time it already happened. We don't know if he has genital HSV1 or only oral HSV1.
I am concerned he may also have genital HSV1 due to his former sexual partner having GHSV1 and their unprotected sex. What is the likelihood that I have GHSV1 from this encounter assuming I didn't have HSV1 of any kind?
I am concerned he may also have genital HSV1 due to his former sexual partner having GHSV1 and their unprotected sex. What is the likelihood that I have GHSV1 from this encounter assuming I didn't have HSV1 of any kind?
 |
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
43 months ago
|
The risk of you getting genital HSV 1 from the particular encounter that you describe is just about zero. First, if he has genital HSV 1, it is highly unlikely that he would be shedding virus on any particular day, much less the moment he rubbed his penis against your labia. And we don't even know if he has HSV 1 genital infection, as you point out. Does he actually have a history of cold sores or was this internal sore the first he has had?
I assume you've been tested negative for HSV 1? About half the population is infected with HSV 1 and 70% don't know that they are infected with HSV 1 and the IgG test misses 30% of HSV 1 infections compared to the gold standard western blot.
If you've had other sexual partners in your past, the odds are 50-50 that your partners have had HSV 1, regardless of what they think they have.
Terri
|
43 months ago
|
Thank you so much for the detailed reply Terri. I've been having panic attacks about this and your message is providing me with some relief.
He has a history of sores (one every couple of years) inside his mouth since childhood that he said were canker sores. A few months ago, he had one of these so called canker sores inside his mouth swabbed and it tested positive for HSV1. He doesn't have a history of sores outside of his mouth.
Yes I tested negative for HSV1 and HSV2 via IgG which was the test my provider ordered for me. I know it's not the most accurate given the 30% statistic. I have never had cold sore symptoms and neither have the 3 other people I have kissed in my life nor any of my family members growing up. So I've been operating on the assumption that I don't have oral HSV1, but I understand that HSV1, especially orally, is very prevalent and the next person I date has a 50-50 chance of having it.
Could I get your advice on HSV1 and HSV2 testing with future partners? Because of the long waiting time, 12-16 weeks since an encounter, for these tests, is it realistic to ask a new romantic partner to not have sex until those 16 weeks have passed and we can both get tested to ensure neither of us have HSV (in particular HSV2)?
Yes I tested negative for HSV1 and HSV2 via IgG which was the test my provider ordered for me. I know it's not the most accurate given the 30% statistic. I have never had cold sore symptoms and neither have the 3 other people I have kissed in my life nor any of my family members growing up. So I've been operating on the assumption that I don't have oral HSV1, but I understand that HSV1, especially orally, is very prevalent and the next person I date has a 50-50 chance of having it.
Could I get your advice on HSV1 and HSV2 testing with future partners? Because of the long waiting time, 12-16 weeks since an encounter, for these tests, is it realistic to ask a new romantic partner to not have sex until those 16 weeks have passed and we can both get tested to ensure neither of us have HSV (in particular HSV2)?
|
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
43 months ago
|
You ask tough questions about future sexual partners. And all experts do not agree. Some of this just has to be your preference.
There is never a need to wait 16 weeks - and 12 weeks applies more to the western blot than the IgG test. With the IgG test, probably 9-10 weeks is plenty, which might still be longer than you might want to wait for sex.
A middle ground, if you do want a partner to test for HSV, would be to use condoms with every intercourse until the appropriate time has passed before testing, since their last sexual encounter. And because you are also really concerned about HSV 1, skip receiving oral sex until that time as well.
What do you think of that plan?
Terri
--- |
43 months ago
|
That sounds good to me. Thank you Terri!
Do you think it’s worthwhile for me to get the western blot at this time? I feel like it would be less anxiety inducing with future partners going forward if I was positive for HSV-1.
|
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
43 months ago
|
I think if you want to know your true status about HSV 1, the western blot is your answer, yes. It's expensive, no question, to go through the process and get the test, but it does provide such clarity for those who want the best answer about their herpes antibody status.
Terri
---