Transmission Questions

[sickornotsick]

Hello,

Question about spreading.

1) If you have Oral HSV-1 or Oral HSV-2, can you spread either by sharing utensils/cups? Does it increase your chances if you are showing sores? Does it matter if you have 1 or 2 for oral transmission?

2) If you catch hsv-2 orally through mouth to mouth contact, could you later exhibit symptoms in the genital area?

[Terri Warren]

There are no documented cases that I am aware of of people transmitting HSV 1 (or HSV 2) through sharing utensils or cup. I would say that chance does increase if someone is showing an active cold sore but not by much. HSV 2 orally is rare, and is shed very infrequently. Most cold sores are caused by HSV 1, not HSV 2.

Again, acquiring HSV 2 through oral contact is very unlikely, but if you catch it orally, that’s where it stays! It does not run through your body and come out your genitals; it stays in the same nerve ganglia in which you acquired it unless, during the first few months of infection, you spread it to somewhere else on your body which is also not common.

Terri

[sickornotsick]

Hi Terri,

Thank you very much for the reply and great service.

So it sounds like it’s possible to spread herpes via sharing utensils or cup but very unlikely given what you have seen and heard. Does Herpes live in saliva or is it just on the skin?

As for your comment about catching HSV 2 in the mouth region, HSV-2 typically sheds more frequently than HSV-1, correct? Would more outbreaks occur in the mouth if you happen to catch HSV-2 there? Also, I’m wondering about what you are saying that it stays there. If people catch either HSV genitally, it can move up to the mouth region, right? Strange that it does not do the reverse.

Thanks again and happy Sunday.

[Terri Warren]

In 32 years, I have never ever seen a case of transmitting herpes via utensils or cups. Herpes can be present in saliva in very small numbers.
HSV 2 genitally sheds more frequently than HSV 1 genitally. But HSV 2 orally sheds very infrequently and certainly less than HSV 1 orally. Outbreaks would also occur very infrequently orally with HSV 2.

HSV 2 genitally does not move up to the mouth region, absolutely not. Nor is the reverse true. A person can contract HSV 2 genitally and orally at the same time by having intercourse with and giving oral sex to the person with HSV 2 infection.

Terri

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