Chances of acquiring ohsv1 after ghsv1

[Shorjump]

Hi Terri,

My partner (now M40) has had oral hsv1 since early university. He gets lip outbreaks a couple times a year depending on stress/sun. He’s had tests that show it’s hsv1, not hsv2.

Before we got together last year, I (F36) had a comprehensive STD test and was negative for both hsv1 and hsv1 (IgG). My partner has always been very vigilant about prodrome symptoms, and whenever he thinks he has an outbreak coming, we’re sure not to kiss or engage in any unsafe behavior until his cold sore is completely healed.

Unfortunately, as we all know, that method is good but not perfect, and asymptomatic shedding does happen. About a month ago, when he felt he had no symptoms, we kissed, had intercourse, and I received oral sex, and a day later, he developed a cold sore, to his surprise. Sure enough, a couple days after that, I developed all the symptoms of genital hsv1. It took me a few days to realize what was going on, but once I did, I took acyclovir 200mg/5xday for 10 days. I did not have any oral symptoms at the same time, and am now about a month out from the day my symptoms first appeared (no recurrences since).

I know that you’ve stated before that once you have one strain of hsv at one location on your body, if you manage not to autoinoculate yourself while you’re developing antibodies, that it becomes unlikely you can spread it to another part of your body. But I’m not sure if that mostly applies to hsv2, or if that also applies to hsv1. I also know that hsv1 much prefers to live above the waist rather than below.

So my question is, since I caught hsv1 in its “less desirable” location where it’s weaker, does this mean I’m less protected against acquiring ohsv1 than I would be if this was the other way around—that I’d acquired ohsv1 and was worried about also acquiring ghsv1? And, once I’ve developed antibodies from this initial infection, what are the chances that I’ll catch ohsv1 from my partner as we continue to live our lives and kiss, share food, etc.?

[Terri Warren]

This also applies to HSV 1. You will likely have few if any recurrences and it is very unlikely that you would subsequently get HSV 1 oral symptoms. During the first few months of infection, I would just be a little more careful about washing your hands after using the rest room and I think you’ll be fine.

Terri

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