Question:
I found out I had asymptomatic HSV2 in December 2005. My new now ex-boyfriend then suddenly broke out in cold sores for the first time in his life. Because of the timing (starting to date me, then getting cold sores for the first time), I assumed it was HSV2 and that I had given it to him. But now, because of the reading I've been doing, I think I probably did *not* give it to him and that he has HSV1 that flared up because of stress -- in which case I didn't give it to him because I don't have HSV1. He also had a recurrence three months after the first episode. The following article indicates that it is nearly impossible that it is HSV2 because almost 100% of HSV2 is genital, and oral HSV2 almost NEVER recurs.



I would like to hear from people who know for a fact, through testing, that they or their partner has ORAL HSV2. Thank you!! :)

Answer:
in nursing school, I was taught that the herpes virus is a form of shingles and is therefore, one virus in its own. Which the article says the two are very closely identical. However and maybe my school has the wrong information, but I would be surprised...I was taught from my nursing books and teachers that oral=HSV1 and genital=HSV2 and ONCE the other is contracted, the virus is THEN CLASSIFIED as the other b/c the virus is the same. You can give HSV1 to someone through oral and it becomes HSV2 and vice versa. This is what i was taught. Now I feel a tad confused. The CDC says the same thing. hmm...interesting.

Answer:
93 fav & CPRChat,
Please see my reply in HSV 1 or HSV 2. This information about them being the same virus is COMPLETELY FALSE! Please stop saying that it is. People will believe that. You can have one or both of the types...they are not the same. First of all 93 fav. You and you bf need to get bloodwork. If you already have and since you said you were asymptomatic, then your bf needs to. Be aware that if he is positive for oral HSV 2 (which as you should already know is rare) then you can not pass it back and forth. And once you both have built up your immune systems you should not be able to spread it to eachother genitally---but i would avoid oral sex anyway or use a condom or dental dam. Secondly, if you have oral HSV 2 and he has oral HSV 1---you can still give eachother your viruses. For example, if he has oral HSV 1 and gives you oral sex, you can get HSV 1 oral---then you are stuck with both. And if you have HSV 2 oral and give him oral sex (assuming he just has HSV 1 oral) you have a high likelyhood of passing on HSV 2 to him genitally, as the genitals are the site of preference for HSV 2.
Both of you should go get a blood test(results only take a few days). And if you still have blisters you can go get them cultured(results take about a week). Once you have the blood test...you will know better what you have. Come back and post when you get them and the people here can help you.....just remember type 1 and type 2 ARE DIFFERENT...if they were the same then they wouldn't be called TYPE 1 and TYPE 2!!!!
Hopeful1234

Answer:
I have type 2 orally.

Answer:
Hi CPRChat,

Are you saying that the virus "changes" strands when it infects a different location?

E.g. If a HSV-1 mouth infection is transferred to the genitals it becomes HSV-2.

This is incorrect information by all sources.

Answer:
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. Transmission can occur from an infected partner who does not have a visible sore and may not know that he or she is infected.

HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it more commonly causes infections of the mouth and lips, so-called "fever blisters." HSV-1 infection of the genitals can be caused by oral-genital or genital-genital contact with a person who has HSV-1 infection. Genital HSV-1 outbreaks recur less regularly than genital HSV-2 outbreaks.
Both of these statements come directly from the CDC.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/Herpes/STDFact-Herpes.htm

Answer:
I have HSV-2 (genital herpes) on my mouth. I do not have any form of herpes on my genitals.

Saturday night I did what we all know shouldn't be done. I had unprotected sex, a one night stand with someone I hardly know. Monday, I felt the tingle on my lip and I knew right away that it was herpes by the way the tiny bumps grew in a matter of minutes.

I went to the Tex- Med Clinic that night hoping that I was wrong, but the doc said it was definitely herpes, though he wasn't sure what type. A sample was sent out to be cultured and typed.

On Wednesday, I still didn't have my results, but I wanted to see my gynocologist to have him check my genitals inside and out for any lesions. Thank goodness I had none. And because of that he said I'd probably contracted HSV-1 (cold sores) on my mouth because HSV-2 in that area is so rare.

Today is Saturday, and I got the call. I held my breath hoping the nurse would tell me it was HSV-1 (80% of the population has HSV-1 cold sores) but the news was bad.......I have HSV-2, genital herpes on my mouth.

I was distraught and felt horrible, but then I came across this very interesting article from a medical journal from the University of Washington Virology Research Clinic.

http://www.yoshi2me.com/research/oral-hsv2.pdf

If you have HSV-2 on your mouth you will find that there is very little information. Please print this article out and read it over and over and over very very slowly. It's first difficult to understand since it has a lot of medical terms, but once you understand it, you may feel a sense of relief.

In a nutshell:

Herpes, no matter what kind is extremely contageous no matter where it is located when you have an outbreak.

When you do not have any lesions or outbreaks you may still be somewhat contagious to others. This is called shedding.

It is true that HSV-1 flourishes on the mouth and HSV-2 flourishes on the genitals and that you may shed the virus even when you have no lesions.

This is the interesting part:

Shedding HSV-2 from the mouth is LESS FREQUENT than shedding HSV-1 from the mouth (when no lesions or outbreaks are present). And the chances of having recurring outbreaks of HSV-2 on the mouth are less frequent than someone having HSV-1 (cold sores) on the mouth!

The article states that this may be simply because HSV-2 may be present orally, but prefers the genitals, therefore will not flourish as well in the mouth.

HSV-1 on the mouth will thrive because it feels at home there and this will lead to more frequent outbreaks.

I hope this is somewhat helpful for others in my situation.

Answer:
I've got HSV2 on my genitals and on my lips too. I got it at the same time. I get outbreaks every month on my genitals but not as often on my lips. When I take aciclovir for the outbreak which is on my lip it clears up very quickly, the next day it is gone but unfortunately it doesn't work as quickly for the one down there even though it is the same strain.

Answer:
I found out I had asymptomatic HSV2 in December 2005. My new now ex-boyfriend then suddenly broke out in cold sores for the first time in his life. Because of the timing (starting to date me, then getting cold sores for the first time), I assumed it was HSV2 and that I had given it to him. But now, because of the reading I've been doing, I think I probably did *not* give it to him and that he has HSV1 that flared up because of stress -- in which case I didn't give it to him because I don't have HSV1. He also had a recurrence three months after the first episode. The following article indicates that it is nearly impossible that it is HSV2 because almost 100% of HSV2 is genital, and oral HSV2 almost NEVER recurs.



I would like to hear from people who know for a fact, through testing, that they or their partner has ORAL HSV2. Thank you!! :)
Honestly, I've not been tested for oral HSV2 and when I went to the doctor she didn't bother, saying it probably was since I never had cold sores ever nor diagnosed as such.
I had an ob in my mouth and throat, quite nasty, and very scary! I've had cankers there but not like these blisters that made eating like a trial by fire. Now I'm worried it may spread to my eyes or worse to my brain and cause encephalitis there. It could someday and this has me very depressed and feeling panicky. I have loads of trouble with sinus and allergies so this may actually help this virus to spread even if I do nothing to cause it to via touching etc..
Sorry I can't help with the testing question but if you had my symptoms you'd not be doubtful of the cause. :cry: