Question:
Are these assumptions of mine correct?...

1. No test by itself can tell you which part of your partner's body the virus came from.

2. HSV1 vs HSV2 by itself doesn't tell you which part of your sex partner's body you got it from, or what sexual act transmitted it.

3. HSV2 can be spread through 5 people, going from genital to oral to genital to oral to genital. Same with HSV1.

4. A person can get HSV2 from recieving oral sex only. A person can get HSV1 from intercourse only.

Answer:
I'll try to be as clear as I understand it.

If you have lesions or blisters that can be swabbed and tested you can know exactly where that infection is.

A blood test can tell you if you have antibodies present from either herpes simplex but that does not pinpoint location of infection. A herpes specific blood test can tell you if you have one or both types.

You can have either hsv1 or hsv2 in your mouth or your genitals. Meaning that they both can be transmitted by oral or genital sex if the infection is in either of those areas.

Someone can have both hsv1 and hsv2 and not necessarily both in the same place. Hsv1 prefers the mouth and hsv2 prefers the genitals and once infected it will take up residence in your nervous system not in your blood but with or without symptoms both types can shed.

From what I have read if you have hsv2 it may protect you (via antibodies) from contracting hsv1 but not necessarily the other way around.

I have read of people who have contracted hsv2 orally but this is not as common as hsv1 orally. I have read of people who have hsv1 genitally but not orally. If you contract hsv2 orally apparently the ob's are not as severe as hsv1 orally and to flip it if you contract hsv1 genitally the ob's are not as severe as hsv2 genital ob's.

This is very confusing but there is an excellent article on hsv1 vs hsv2 that was recommended lately.



Answer:
Thanks caliope.

The link didn't work - was it the "good virus, bad virus" article? Good article, although it seemed a bit overly optomistic to me. Just my opinion as to what I am learning so far. It's good to reduce people's fears of herpes, but if it does so at the risk of reducing reality or carefulness of preventing transmission... still a good article.

I am an adult and yet I didn't know how insidious herpes is. I feel ignorant, naive, stupid... I am new to all this, and my mind is spinning. A mere fondling of my penis and now I have herpes for life. Not that anyone needs herpes at any point in their lives, but I was already one step from giving it all up. Now this. God has a sense of humor all right.

Answer:
Yes it was the good vs. bad article. sorry typo.