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Hi Terri,
I’ve been dating a guy who could potentially be HSV-2 positive (his igG tests have come back NEGATIVE for HSV1 both times, but at 1.5 and 1.7 respectively for HSV2). He’s yet to have the western blot done (although he should). We haven’t had sex or oral, but we do kiss.In the off chance he has it orally…
I got tested last month I am negative for both HSV1 and HSV2.
On Friday I woke up with a “hot feeling” spot above my upper lip. Typical zit feeling. No burning or itching or tingling. By yesterday morning, it was bigger and I feel like everyone saw. I noticed there was a lot of “white” in it and popped it. It then oozed like most really infected pimples do, and it’s not as big bit it’s still there. It does feel wet, however.But I’m not sure if that’s a zit feeling or a tell-tale herpes one. But it’s huge, and I’m worried it’s HSV.
I’m especially sad, because I split with the guy on Friday. I would really not like to have herpes to remember him by.
How contagious is HSV-2 if he had it orally, and my chance of picking it up? Do the pics look like HSV or a zit? I don’t think the bump is on the vermillion border of my lip.First pic is Day #1–Friday.
Second pic is yesterday, just before popping it. -
The best way to know what this is is to have it swab tested, and it should happen soon. This does, however, look very very much like oral herpes to me. But again, a swab test would be so much better to know for sure, and also, just by looking, you cannot know if it is HSV 1 or HSV 2, and it is important that you find out, I think. Please go get it swab tested, and be sure it is typed, if positive.
If he had HSV 2 orally, it would be unusual for it to be shed, so I think it is unlikely. But HSV 1 could certainly happen and it may not be picked up on the antibody test. The normal screening test misses 25% of HSV 1 infections.
Terri -
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1. In October of 2013, I kissed a guy who told me he had had cold sores as a child. One week after our first kiss (which was pretty chaste), I developed what is displayed in the FIRST PICTURE. He said it didn’t look like a cold sore, it didn’t hurt..And it pretty much behaved exactly as whatever this is on my lip now. Notice..It’s also in exactly the same spot. Does herpes usually reoccur in the exact same spot? Is it a fair assumption I caught it from that guy?
I don’t know if you had it before you kissed that guy. It does look like a cold sore but I sure can’t say where you got it.
2. If I do come back positive from today’s tests…Should I tell every guy who ever attempts to kiss me? Or is it not that big of deal since 80-90% of the population already have type 1 from nursery school and kindergarten age?
Your statistic is old and inaccurate – 56% of the population between the ages of 14 and 49 have HSV 1 now, though it may be a little higher due to the inaccuracy of the screening test for HSV 1
3. I’m terrified I’ll never be able to give a blowjob again. Is it unsafe for a HSV1 positive person to give blowjobs? Probably, right?
You can give oral sex to someone who is already infected with HSV 1 without worry. It is possible to transmit HSV 1 from your mouth to the genital of a person uninfected with HSV 1.
4. I share drinks with my brother all the time. I’m terrified I could have given this to him. How often does the virus shed asymptomatically?
I do not worry about transmission through inanimate objects.
5. My aunt and grandfather both get cold sores. So I’d assume my mom also probably has it asymptomatically. My best friend tested positive for HSV1 in March, and I’m sure at some point she and I have shared a drink or something. I’ve kissed 11 men in my life–is it likely many of them had the virus too?
You can see the statistic above about how many people are infected with hSV 1 in that age group so likely half of the people are infected.
6. If the swab comes back POSITIVE for either type, but the iGG tests negative..Should I assume this guy I just broke up with on Friday gave it to me? Even though his type 1 test was negative? If I come back positive on all fronts..Should I assume I was HSV1 positive to begin with and the first quest test missed it last month?
No, because the test itself is poor. If the western blot was negative at this point, that would suggest a recent infection.7. Pic #2 is last night. Pic #3 is this morning. The only thing I don’t understand is if it’s herpes, why is it healing so quickly? It showed up abruptly on Friday and today it’s already half way healed. So this is the beginning of day 4. I thought oral herpes lesions took a week or so?
well, four days is half of a week, so that’s about right if it is half healed. Be sure to get a PCR swab if you can today vs a culture.
Terri
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1. If either come back positive, am I obligated to tell every man I kiss for the rest of my life? Or not because HSV1 is common?
I don’t think so but opinion varies on that.
2. How long after a cold sore, if that’s what it is, am I contafious?
You could be contagious even when you don’t have a cold sore
3. 4th of July party this weekend with someone I like. If I look healed, am I risking him by kissing him?
Since you could be contagious even when you don’t have a cold sore, I don’t have an answer for that really. You could ask if he’s ever had a cold sore. If he has, then it’s fine. I just don’t know how else to answer your question – I don’t have a firm answer about that.
4. The guy i’d been seeing that tested positive for HSV2 tested NEGATIVE twice, with values below .02, for HSV1. Wouldn’t it be unlikely he even HAD HSV1, if he got tested twice and was negative for HSV1 twice?
well, we know the screening test that is normally used misses HSV 1 about 25% of the time, so I’m not sure we can rely on that test.
5. Yesterday, the blood draw was for the LAPCORP CAPTIVA (an Elisa). My LAST TEST, that yielded negative results, was a QUEST HERPESELECT. Is one better, or more sensitive, in your opinion?
Not really, no. I think they are both about the same accuracy.
6. How often does HSV1 shed asymptomatically?
From the mouth? about 9-18% of days. From the genitals, about 5% of days.
7. Do cold sores usually show up in the same place each time?
About 50% in the same place and about 50% of people get cold sores in various places on the lip or in the nose.
8. If it turns out to be it, am I likely to keep having OBs because I’ve had one as an adult, vs staying asymptomatic?
If you have HSV 1 on your lip, you are likely to continue to have outbreaks, yes.
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Terri
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1. If everything is negative, is it safe to assume it was probably an angry pimple? (I’d gotten DIESEL on my face two days earlier, and I’ve had a clogged pore in that area for awhile..But the location just seems so uncanny).
Since the hSV 1 antibody screening test misses 25% of infections and the culture misses 75% of HSV compared to PCR, I’m not clear what to make of this honestly.
2. Based on the fact I’ve now had 2 NEGATIVE HSV 1 AND HSV2 tests, is it pretty likely if I had HSV1 for years it would have nailed it on one test or the other?
See Question 1
3. Since I’ve now had the Herpeselect and Captiva, and it seems online some people get missed with one or the other–is it safe to assume it would be pretty hard for BOTH to miss HSV1?
No
4. Have you ever seen HSV2 spread mouth to mouth from kissing? Ever? Even once? Please describe?
No, I have not
5. If you have seen HSV2 spread from kissing, what was the initial OB like?
Have never seen that either
6. I’ve had no fever, malaise, feeling of being “off”, no tingling, itching or burning. Isn’t at least ONE of those common in an initial HSV oral outbreak?
Those feelings are common with a first infection in an adult, yet.
7. Is it possible (I came up with this theory last night), that I actually have HSV1, and I just have a really good immune system that keeps it under detectable levels?
It isn’t that, its that the test isn’t very good for detecting HSV 1. It is a test issue, not an immune system issue.
8. I’ve been exposed to this guy since the 3rd week of March. If I’d caught either HSV from him, wouldn’t I likely have tested positive by now?
See above!
The test isn’t great for HSV 1 – that is what makes me uncertain here.
Terri
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Yes, that looks healed up to me! And a very pretty smile also.
Terri
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