Good Morning,

Last Saturday - 4/16 - I am a male in my 30s - I met a girl on a bachelor party. It was a very quick encounter - Before the encounter she asked if I had any STDs and I asked the same and she said no - She performed oral sex on me and I penetrated her a few minutes but it wasnt quite hard enough so she completed everything via oral. Its been 4 days and I have no signs of blisters or anything but my brain convinces me that I have herpes because its so widespread and common and most people do not know they even have it. I have contacted the girl again to ask if shes aware of any STDs she may have and she said no...  My question is  - what is my overall risk of contracting herpes from one unprotected encounter - mostly her giving me oral but some vaginal penetration? The stats I have read are 4% female to male over the course of a year... That seems fairly low risk. Are those stats accurate, and if so, what does that % look like for one time, one encounter? Thanks for your time and consideration

The overall risk of acquiring HSV 2 from a single unprotected intercourse in a heterosexual couple is very low.  I can't and won't give you a number because really, the only transmission statistics we have are in  established couples who have been together for a while.  If you did contract HSV from the encounter, it sounds like there was more time spent on her giving you oral sex than intercourse, is that correct?  If that is correct, then perhaps HSV 1 would be a greater risk from receiving unprotected oral sex.  have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose?  If yes, then you already have HSV 1 infection and don't need to have any real worry about getting it genitally. 

The statistics you quote are the ones I referred to between couples who have been together for a while.  That likely does not accurately represent the transmission rate in new couples but it's all that we have.  j

One lesson here is that asking someone if they have an STI is not a bad place to start, but will very often give you the wrong answer as most people with an STI probably don't know it, including herpes, where 87% of those infected don't know it.

Without any symptoms for you, I do think this very short encounter is quite unlikely to result in you getting HSV 2 from this person

Terri

Definitely more time on oral, yes. Vast majority.  I actually have never had a cold sore on my lip and have been tested within the last year for HSV1/2 and was negative.

As a first follow up - If I somehow contracted HSV1 from the oral sex, could it show up on my lips or would that show up on my genitals? Or both?

Also what is the earliest I can test with any sort of accuracy after the encounter? If I got tested today would that be too soon if the potential encounter was Saturday the 16th?

Terri