Question:
Hello to all! I was just diagnosed with hsv1 via blood test. What made me have the test (you need to request it from the dr as it is not part of the routine std screening - only chlamydia, gonnoreah, and hiv are) is that 2 years ago I was told I have HPV (precancerous cells on the cervix). I've been doing a lot of reading about different std's since the HPV diagnosis. Instead of beating around the bush, I took the bull by the horns and had the blood test for HIV and HSV done. HIV is negative, HSV2 is negative, but HSV1 is positive. I feel like maybe I shouldn't have had the test done, but it is my right to know. I've never had any symptoms. How do you know if you have HSV1 orally or genitally with no symptoms? My dr. said with the antibodies being at 5 for HSV1, most likely I've had it since childhood???? Then I read that you can contract it by french kissing with no active signs. I've french kissed previous boyfriends before I got married. Does that mean they have it too? I think I may have been reading too much information (you can't believe all online information on all websites) or maybe I am freaking out and looking too far into this, but I feel like I've been on an emotional roller coaster ride since 2 weeks ago. My gyno is the one who told me how common hsv1 is and not to worry about it and that it is most contagious when a coldsore is present. What if my husband and I split in the future and I french kiss a new partner? Does that necessarily mean he will get hsv1? French kissing is my favorite intimate thing to do. How do you tell someone you have hsv1 without them running away?

Answer:
A very high percentage of the population suffers from coldsores or fever blisters. This is caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is not uncommon to acquire or be exposed to this virus during childhood and to have an initial reaction then which you possibly wouldn't remember as an adult. Take a look at your immediate family such as parents and grandparents and if they suffer from coldsores it is likely that your infection is oral.

If you have a coldsore on your mouth it is contagious. It doesn't have to be transmitted through "French Kissing" it can be just a kiss. The majority of people who get herpes as children get it from an innocent kiss from a loved one, such as grandma.

The rule of thumb is to avoid kissing or performing oral sex on a partner when you have signs or symptoms of a cold sore or suspect one might be on its way, which is usually because you have the sensation of tingling on your lip. Some people have internal sores, similar to canker sores, which are really herpes. A canker sore itself is not herpes.

If you have had hsv1 since childhood you could have accidentally passed this onto someone else through kissing. It is also possible to pass this to a partners genitals when performing oral sex and they become infected genitally. It can be either a genital or oral infection and is passed by skin to skin contact with the infected area.

Has your husband been tested for hsv? He may have it also.

Answer:
Colbie,

Is it only when you have a sore present that you can transmit hsv1 to someone else by dry kissing and french kissing? I guess what I am trying to figure out is...........is it okay to french kiss a negative partner when there are no sores present?









A very high percentage of the population suffers from coldsores or fever blisters. This is caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is not uncommon to acquire or be exposed to this virus during childhood and to have an initial reaction then which you possibly wouldn't remember as an adult. Take a look at your immediate family such as parents and grandparents and if they suffer from coldsores it is likely that your infection is oral.

If you have a coldsore on your mouth it is contagious. It doesn't have to be transmitted through "French Kissing" it can be just a kiss. The majority of people who get herpes as children get it from an innocent kiss from a loved one, such as grandma.

The rule of thumb is to avoid kissing or performing oral sex on a partner when you have signs or symptoms of a cold sore or suspect one might be on its way, which is usually because you have the sensation of tingling on your lip. Some people have internal sores, similar to canker sores, which are really herpes. A canker sore itself is not herpes.

If you have had hsv1 since childhood you could have accidentally passed this onto someone else through kissing. It is also possible to pass this to a partners genitals when performing oral sex and they become infected genitally. It can be either a genital or oral infection and is passed by skin to skin contact with the infected area.

Has your husband been tested for hsv? He may have it also.

Answer:
I think that Glaxo Smith Kline, the company who makes Valtrex, did a study of 100 couples and in a years time about 4% of them passed it to partners when there were no signs or symptoms of an ob. This may have been specific to Ghsv but the statistics would be similar.

My point is that it doesn't have to be a big wet kiss to pass on the virus it can be a very passive tiny kiss. However the time when the virus is most contagious is when there is an active sore which is more often on the lips not inside of the mouth.

I made the point about oral sex because most people can handle the idea of oral coldsores but they freak out over genital infections and this is a real risk.