Question:
I found the following quote on another web site:

"A prior infection with oral HSV-1 lowers the risk of acquiring genital HSV-1 even further. Studies show that genital HSV-1 infections almost always occur in people who have no prior infection with HSV of either type (Corey, Annals of Internal Medicine, 1983). "

I'd like to find the exact statistics from this study (i.e., does "almost always" mean 80% of the people or 99%?). I've checked the Annals of Internal Medicine website, but the articles don't go back to 1983. Does anyone have access to the either this study or similar studies in which the actual statistics are given?

Thanks.

Answer:
If that's the case, then it'll put my mind at ease. 14 days ago my g/f went down on me and she came up with a coldsore the next day. I havent got any symptoms yet but im still nervous.

Answer:
I have the same concern. I recall reading that information somewhere as well. I would like to be more certain of it's validity.

I have HSV-1 oral (infrequent cold sores). I have been sexually inactive for over two years. Last night I received oral sex from my friend, a woman, who called me today to tell me she felt she may have a cold sore coming on (oral, and her first in years).

we also both just went snowboarding-lots of sunlight exposure/reflection, which I believe, may be causing her current OB (if it even is one)

What is the chance I will acquire genital HSV-1 from this contact?

Does my having HSV-1 already prevent further acquistion at a new site by exposure to another carrier?

Is there a chance her cold sore is a symptom of HSV-2 and that I may either be open to acquiring it-OR-likely protected from it?

If you have any medical knowledge of these Oral-Genital/1-2 matters please share your understandings.

thank you

Answer:
If you only had oral contact you can not contract a genital infection.

Answer:
When you say "if I only had oral contact" you're referring to the oral-to-genital contact I just had, right? Not oral-to-oral.

Whereas if I had had genital-to-genital contact (with an HSV-1, or -2 genital carrier) there would be a concern?

So you're saying oral cannot transmit an infection to genital and genital cannot transmit to oral? Thus once you have it in one location you cannot acquire it through/at another?

Can you provide and medical source for this?

Answer:
I have been looking for conclusive info on this as well.

I have HSV-1 genitally and have never had a cold sore orally.

Thus I think I was a sitting duck to contract it genitally.

But if my bf carries HSV-1 antibodies, determined by a blood test (as 80-90% of people do by his age - 49), does this mean we can relax about him getting it from me somewhere new, i.e. other than where he got it initially, whether he was aware of getting it or not?

Let's keep this post going and see what we find out! Interesting question.

Answer:
this question has been discussed over and over again in other threads....
My suggestion to everyone is to do a search with key words, bounce around the site... do some reading... there are some older posts by Pilot which describe all of this in detail - he even posted a chart... if I find it I will post a link... I welcome anyone to do the same if I don't get to it.

HSV lives in your nerves, settling in your spinal chord (tailbone area for genital, neck area for oral) and is passed through direct contact when the virus is active - active = actual outbreak or asymptomatic shedding. It stays in the bundle of nerves (ganglia?) and will follow the nerve path to the surface - therefore obs stay in generally the same area, but I believe multiple infections are possible - some do not agree.

A person can get hsv 1 or 2 in either areas, or both, it just prefers one spot over the other...(1 prefers oral, 2 prefers genital) if you have hsv of one type or the other, your resistance is higher due to built up antibodies, so they say - and some ppl believe you can't "get it again" but in my humble opinion - a new location is possible - this per a conversation with my doc, but the probability is low.

the "oral contact" I meant was if she has hsv genitally, and she gives a man oral, the man cannot contract the virus. Contact with the area of outbreak is what transmits the virus.

simpler terms:

if two ppl with genital h only are kissing - they will nt give each other anything.

if one gives the other oral sex, they risk getting h orally.

if two ppl with oral h only are having sex without oral contact - they will nt give each other anything.

if one gives the other oral sex, they risk getting h genitally....

I'm sure I could go on listing everypossible scenario... but who has the time.

It is a skin to skin contact issue, and very rarely passed through immediate sharing of a glass, cigarette, etc.... it doesn't move in your bloodstream, it doesn't "jump" from one spot to another without contact with the virus directly. You can not burn your hand if you do not touch the fire. Be careful with fire people.

I encourage anyone to set me straight if I am wrong... it seems we all gather info and this is like one giant game of telephone... and the docs even give us different answers... frustratring....

Answer:
Hey Lasmom,

I just wanted to say thanks for contributing.

You're right, the topic is touched on in other unrelated message threads...unfortunately with reliable contradiction.

I wish there was some conclusive opinion on it, but doctors and medical sites confidently and specifically conflict with each other (and themselves, frustratingly) as well.



The UK Herpes Virus Association says this:

"You do not spread the virus to other parts of your own body after the first episode. Even in new cases the infection is usually limited to one part of the body. Examples: if it were easily spread every toddler who caught a cold sore would end up with spots all over his/her face and hands..."
[ http://www.herpes.org.uk/faq.html#11 ]

and this:

"If you and your partner have the same virus you will not reinfect each other - even on a different part of the body. So, if you have caught it genitally from your partner?s facial cold sores, he or she will not catch the virus back on the genitals.
[ http://www.herpes.org.uk/faq.html#12 ]

This is the most encouraging word so far for my current concerns. I've read this elsewhere before too, yet it is specifically contradicted in other medical sources. Particularly in regard to touching your own genitals after touching your lips without washing hands first during a cold sore OB.



Generally it seems the greatest risk of all transmissions is during the first outbreak - before your body has built up it's antibodies. I'm assuming antibodies are defending every part of your body equally and thus protect your genitals from HSV-1 or -2 once you've acquired it orally (as well as your feet, elbows, etc.). though how perfectly, it seems, there is not a consensus.



Overall I am not very concerned now, knowing, nonetheless, that a clear answer really isn't possible. Nor am I panicked about what will become of my life if a second-site infection/outbreak occurs.



One must concede that although no one would prefer to have cold sores or genital herpes-and no one would want to transmit them, it is amazingly prevalent and rarely anywhere near as painful or disruptive to your life as the root canal surgery, migraines or broken ribs I've suffered in the last three years or the car accidents, prostate cancer or Alzheimer's I stand a fair chance of experiencing before I die.

Life is not about certainties. It's about risks and probabilities. For all fo us. It's your job to go out and get all the information you can about them. And it's your choice how much time you will spend worrying about them.

Answer:
Hey OM...

Thanks for the quotes!!! I know, the docs constantly contradict themselves - I think it may pertially be covering their asses, but what you have found is definately encouraging!!

LM