Transmission HSV2 – nowhere for advice

[manyquestions]

Hi Terri,

My partner has HSV2 genitally. My partner has worked so hard to accept that this is no big deal and move past the awful stigma of HSV. I am trying my best to learn as well! However, we are trying to be responsible with our future sexual interactions… and it has been utter hell… doctors have been unable to answer questions and it seems like there are few people who actualy know what they are talking about. We just want information so we can move forward in the smartest way possible:(

1. My first question is about rate of transmission from oral sex. Some doctors tell me that it is nearly impossible for me to get HSV2 from oral sex – some of my pamphlets say that only 1% of HSV2 cases are oral. But I read one of your responses on here and you said that 15% of people with HSV2 have it orally and genitally at the same time? Could you tell me what youve learned about the chances of me getting oral HSV2 from my partner if he has genital HSV2? What are the odds?

2. My partner is also curious because about where you can have the virus since he had a past partner with HSV1 (he is going to get tested again after 4 full months have passed). Can you get HSV1 genitally if you have HSV2 genitally? Or HSV1 orally if you have HSV2 orally? Basically, can you get both virus’s in the same location?

3. Lastly, what about having HSV2 both orally and genitally? And HSV1 both orally and genitally? Basically, can you get the same virus in both locations? (I know from the aforementioned statistic that this is possible, but how possible…? Are the statistics…?)

Thank you for all of your help. I apologize for the many questions… it seems like the more doctors I spoke to, the more questions I had.

[Terri Warren]

1. My first question is about rate of transmission from oral sex. Some doctors tell me that it is nearly impossible for me to get HSV2 from oral sex – some of my pamphlets say that only 1% of HSV2 cases are oral. But I read one of your responses on here and you said that 15% of people with HSV2 have it orally and genitally at the same time? Could you tell me what youve learned about the chances of me getting oral HSV2 from my partner if he has genital HSV2? What are the odds?

You are right in the statistic that about 15% of people with a primary genital infection also have an outbreak on the mouth. We do not have statistics on what the chances that you would get it only on the mouth. I think this risk is low but not absent.

2. My partner is also curious because about where you can have the virus since he had a past partner with HSV1 (he is going to get tested again after 4 full months have passed). Can you get HSV1 genitally if you have HSV2 genitally? Or HSV1 orally if you have HSV2 orally? Basically, can you get both virus’s in the same location?

Once you have HSV 2 it is oh most impossible to acquire HSV one subsequently. However, if you have HSV one, you can still acquire HSV-2 in the same location.

3. Lastly, what about having HSV2 both orally and genitally? And HSV1 both orally and genitally? Basically, can you get the same virus in both locations? (I know from the aforementioned statistic that this is possible, but how possible…? Are the statistics…?)

If you have neither herpes virus, you can acquire either one in both locations if for example you have intercourse and oral sex at the same contact.

I would certainly encourage your partner to be on daily antiviral therapy anti-use condoms to reduce the risk of inspecting you. I am making the assumption that you have been tested already to determine that you do not have HSV-2 infection already.

Terri

[manyquestions]

Thank you Terri!

We have been utilizing this website as a resource this past week – it has been so incredibly helpful!

After reading here my partner is actually thinking of getting the Western blot to reevaluate this hsv scores.

Do you know the statistics for the amount of people who test in the high negative, equivocal, and low positive range?

[manyquestions]

Hi Terri, I’m sorry to post again, but I wanted to add another question to my last one.

1. My last question was: Do you know the statistics for the amount of people who test in the high negative, equivocal, and low positive range?

2. My next question is regarding the HSV2 oral transmission statistic. If 15-20% of people who have HSV2 have it orally and genitally and you can only contract hsv2 orally and genitally if both areas are exposed at the same encounter, could the reason that only 15-20% of people have it in both places be because that can only include people who have both oral and genital sex at the same time? And maybe the (I read around 1-2%) of people who have HSV only orally have it only orally because only about 1-2% of people engage in only oral sex? Furthermore, that number could be only 1-2% because once you have HSV2 genitally you are immune to it orally. All of this would suggest the chance of transmission of HSV2 from genitals to orally is not actually low, it is just determined by the type of sexual acts people are engaged in. But are there other variables? Like… could you be more susestible to develop HSV2 orally if you are simultaneously developing an HSV infection genitally? (Sorry to overanalyze 😞 I do a lot of work with statistics)

Thank you again for all of your help

[Terri Warren]

I really don’t understand your question about amount of people in the high positive low positive and equivocal range. Do you mean if you tested 100 people how many would fall into each category? . We do know that about 16% of the population has a HSV-2 and about 50% have HSV one. In our study, 6% of people tested overall fell into the low positive range. Of those, half or false positives. I don’t know how many fell into the equivocal range but not very many.

Honestly I have to say I am completely confused by the second part of your question even after reading it several times. But I can tell you that it is not true that only 1 to 2% of people engage in oral sex. That part I did understand and it is incorrect

this is your final post on this subscription. If you have more questions, feel free to renew but please try to keep your statistics simpler.

Terri

Terri

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