Differentiating HSV1 oral vs genital

[LilBird345]

This is more of an opinion question that I’d love to hear your thoughts on. Why do folks feel the need to specify WHERE they have hsv1? I have ghsv1 but from everything I’ve been able to read about it, it’s less transmissible and recurs less frequently than oral hsv1. Yet the majority of the population has oral hsv1 and hardly anyone discloses. Yet oral hsv1 is the leading cause of genital hsv1.

When thinking about disclosure essentials with ghsv1, why do we feel the need to disclose location? I understand disclosing you have hsv1 and other facts like transmission rates, las outbreak, etc… but what do you think about not immediately saying WHERE it is? I personally am of the thought that hsv1 is hsv1 regardless of where you have it.

Maybe not the best question for this forum but feels better than Reddit!

Also I do disclose location currently but my therapist and I have been discussing why as well. This is NO shame to folks with hsv2 either. I don’t think any of it should be a big deal.

[Newuser637]

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[Terri Warren]

well, I do understand why telling someone you have it genitally is more difficult than orally. The reality is that genital HSV 1 sheds virus so much less than HSV 1 orally. About 47% of the population already has HSV 1 in the US. Most don’t know it.

The “why” is probably partly because if you infected someone with genital HSV 1 without telling them, in some states, it’s very much a legal issue.

You don’t state your gender. If you are male, if you always use a condom with casual partners, I don’t see the need to disclose this. But in a longer meaningful relationship, I think you should, more for emotional closeness and intimacy than anything else. Just my opinion

Terri

[LilBird345]

I’m a man, yes. I suppose why is it illegal to pass on ghsv1 if I’ve disclosed I have hsv1? Versus the vast majority of new ghsv1 cases which come from someone with oral hsv1… who don’t disclose even though it is the same thing? I’m just not understanding… which I think is probably because it actually makes no sense and society just has a weird view on where you have the exact same disease. Blah 😆

Like could I sue or use the legal system against the person I acquired my hsv1 from even though theirs is oral?

[LilBird345]

I can also specify that I am a gay male.

[Terri Warren]

I have been part of trials where someone with a know history of cold sores did not disclose to a partner their cold sore history who then transmitted HSV 1 to a partner’s genitals, yes. It depends on the state whether this is a legal issue or not.

Terri

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