Immunosuppressed, risk of GHSV2

[Hopeful234]

Hello, I am a woman involved with a man who has GHSV2 and I’m wondering how much of a risk it is. We have not yet had sex. He has had it for about a decade and has 2-3 outbreaks per year without meds. He has never transmitted to anyone as far as he knows, including during two 2-year relationships. I have rheumatoid arthritis and uveitis, for which I take Hyrimoz (a biosimilar for Humira), so I have a suppressed immune system. I’m negative for HSV2, but the same partner gave me HSV1 a few years ago on my nipple after only one or two occasions of oral contact. He was not taking antivirals at the time. I had a mild initial outbreak (3-4 blisters) and signs of a second outbreak that were suppressed with Valtrex. There was tingling and itching for a few months, but now it just itches (fairly frequently, but it’s not really a problem) and I have had no actual outbreaks and no need to take medication since.

I have read the stats that say m to f transmission for GHSV2 using condoms and antivirals is about 2% in a year, but I’m not sure these numbers apply to me given my suppressed immune system.

My questions are:
1. If he is willing to start taking daily antivirals and to use condoms, am I at a higher risk for catching it (my rheumatologist told me yes, but I’ve read conflicting information)?
2. If I caught it, would I be likely to have frequent and severe outbreaks and complications?
3. Does the ease with which I caught HSV1 on my breast or the mildness of the symptoms provide any clue on how I might be affected by GHSV2? I’m wondering if I was just lucky to have gotten it in an odd location and that made my symptoms mild.

Thanks so much. I’ve found the info on this forum and in your handbook really helpful.

[Terri Warren]

1. If he is willing to start taking daily antivirals and to use condoms, am I at a higher risk for catching it (my rheumatologist told me yes, but I’ve read conflicting information)?
I would say probably not, but we don’t have good research done on this question. But if he is doing both religiously, I think your risk is incredibly small

2. If I caught it, would I be likely to have frequent and severe outbreaks and complications?
Also hard to know for sure, but if you were on suppressive therapy, it would likely control outbreaks for you as well.

3. Does the ease with which I caught HSV1 on my breast or the mildness of the symptoms provide any clue on how I might be affected by GHSV2? I’m wondering if I was just lucky to have gotten it in an odd location and that made my symptoms mild.
Since you already have HSV 1, if you got HSV 2, your acquisition would likely be milder than for someone who does not have HSV 1 already.

Terri

[Author]

Posts