Assessing Risk of Herpes (HSV1/HSV2)

[Boredom123]

Hi Terri,

I would like to find out if I have herpes(HSV1 or HSV2), and if I don’t, assess what risk I would be taking on if I was to participate in certain sexual activities. I’ll start out my first question about the chances of me having it, and how I could find out. My follow up questions will be questions I have on the chances of contracting it and the risks involved in sexual activity.

To my knowledge, I have never had any symptoms or outbreaks ever. I have been tested for both HSV1 and 2 multiple times over the years and never received a positive result. However, when I was 16, I had a sore throat, and the doctor prescribed Valtrex for a few days to get rid of it. I didn’t make any connections on what that could mean until recently. I had no sexual activity in my life at that point either.

Fast forward to today, I have had sex with somewhere around 75-80 female partners. I have also received blowjobs from about 150 women, about half of them have been sex workers and I was wearing a condom while the other 75 were bare oral sex from women who were not sex workers (relationships, random hook ups). However, as of recent that has slowed down a lot, as I have looked up a lot online and the stats on herpes are pretty scary. This has brought me here. What are my chances of having it, and how could I find out for sure? That’s if you even recommend me finding out.

[Terri Warren]

Valtrex without a positive swab test to confirm a herpes infection is an inappropriate treatment for a sore throat. That is especially true given you were not yet sexually active.

With that many partners, I think testing for HSV of one type or the other is likely but not 100% certain. You could start with an IgG test or if you want the best test, the herpes western blot from the University of Washington will give you the most accurate results. I do think you should find out, even though you are slowing down a bit. You could be more religious about condoms if you were positive and possibly take daily antiviral medication to reduce the risk even more of infecting partners.

Terri

[Boredom123]

Thank you for your answer. I have taken 5 IgG tests over the past 5-6 years and have never tested positive nor have I experienced any symptoms/outbreaks.

The follow up questions below pertain to dealing with numerous and random sexual partners:

-What are the chances of a man contracting HSV1/HSV2 by receiving raw oral sex from random women without a condom? What about with a condom? This could be a sex worker, or a random hook up.

-What are the chances of contracting HSV1/HSV2 when having sex with random women with a condom? What about without a condom? This could be also be from a sex worker, or a random hook up.

[Terri Warren]

-What are the chances of a man contracting HSV1/HSV2 by receiving raw oral sex from random women without a condom? What about with a condom? This could be a sex worker, or a random hook up.
The herpes contracted from receiving oral sex is HSV 1, not HSV 2. We don’t have a statistic about the likelihood of that happening

-What are the chances of contracting HSV1/HSV2 when having sex with random women with a condom? What about without a condom? This could be also be from a sex worker, or a random hook up.
The condom would be very protective against acquiring HSV assuming the mouth of the giver did not get past the condom

Terri

[Boredom123]

Terri,

I think you read my second question wrong. My second question above was not the same as my first question. My first question was about oral sex. My second question was about sexual intercourse.

Can you please revisit the question and give an answer? Please note since you are an expert on the issue, I am taking your answers very seriously. I hope this does not count as a second follow up question either because of the mistake.

[Terri Warren]

-What are the chances of a man contracting HSV1/HSV2 by receiving raw oral sex from random women without a condom? What about with a condom? This could be a sex worker, or a random hook up.
The herpes contracted from receiving oral sex is HSV 1, not HSV 2. We don’t have a statistic about the likelihood of that happening

The risk by receiving oral sex is HSV 1, not HSV 2, as I stated above.

-What are the chances of contracting HSV1/HSV2 when having sex with random women with a condom? What about without a condom? This could be also be from a sex worker, or a random hook up.
I am assuming here that you mean intercourse. Condoms reduce transmission from women to men by 65%. We don’t have further information about the risk from women to men in this situation.
Terri

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