Oral HSV2 exposure

[WX5DF6SB]

I’m a female on 8/15 I performed oral sex on a man with HSV2 (~2 minutes no ejaculation). He takes Valtrex daily. I’m concerned about my risks and what steps to take next with my PCP. It’s been hell mentally. (Ob disregarded severity did culture ER did labs)

[Terri Warren]

What kind of labs did the ER do, do you know? Did they do a type specific IgG antibody test? I’m worried that they may have done an IgM test which is unreliable and has many false positives. If it is positive, it could freak you out and I want you to know right now that it is unreliable. If they did an IgG antibody test, that would tell you what your infection status was 4 months ago and backward.

The risk of acquiring HSV 2 in this way, orally, is extremely small. First, HSV 2 doesn’t like to live in the mouth – we don’t know why but it has a strong site preference for the genitals vs. the mouth. Second, a few minutes of contact is unlikely to result in transmission just because it is short therefore less exposure. When male is infected with HSV 2 and his female partner is not, if they have sex 100 times per year mostly without condoms and he is on daily Valtrex, then only 5 women out of 100 will get herpes. Your experience is such a tiny portion of that, if you are good at the math, you will see the risk is extremely low.

There is nothing at all that you should do now. If you take antiviral therapy, it will mess with the results of any future antibody testing, so keep that in mind if you do plan to test down the road at all.

terri

[WX5DF6SB]

I meet with my PCP tomorrow because I’m not handling this well at all. I will confirm lab results and values. Question two: I had numbness and burning on my hands 5 days later which has been called dishydrotic excema contact dermatitis and the sudden onset of really mild Punctate Palmoplantar keratosis can this and the pain in my gums be attributed to infection? I am wearing gloves at all times

[Terri Warren]

Your doctor told you you had these conditions??
Why are you wearing gloves?
I think you are taking this way too far with your worry. The odds that you got HSV 2 orally are so very very small. I have never in 33 years of practice seen someone acquire HSV 2 orally by giving someone with HSV 2 genitally oral sex – never.

Terri

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.

[WX5DF6SB]

I have seen my ob my pcp 2x a dermatologist the ER and urgent care clinic 2x in one weeks time can’t stop panicking the dermatologist said the rash on my hands and skin condition were those things listed above. My tongue throat gums lips and teeth all have pain I’ve been given prednisone and all sorts of medication. I’m afraid to touch myself or my child

[Terri Warren]

I’m so sorry you are this upset that you won’t touch yourself or your child because giving someone oral sex does not cause you to have things go wrong on your hands. It’s pretty clear that you cannot be at peace until you receive a negative herpes antibody test, regardless of what I or anyone else says. I feel like you haven’t listened to a word I said and that’s OK its probably best that you stick with the advice of all of the clinicians that you are seeing in person. I wish you the best of luck trying to sort this all out.

Terri

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.

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