Transmission re: clothing, massage (non-sensual) and oral HPV 2 transmission

[janedoe3]

Hi Teri,

I genital HSV-1. I read that HSV cannot be transmitted via clothing. However, I was reading massage guidelines (for therapeutic/non-sexual massage) and it suggested that practitioners should treat sheets on tables used by HSV positive clients as “hot.” This alarmed me. I wear a medical garment (thick compression leggings). I wear them daily for much of the day. My adult daughter tried them on after I had been wearing them for an extended period. I don’t know how long after I had worn them last that she tried them on – it may have been only a few hours or possibly several or overnight. I had an outbreak the day after she tried them on and now I am worried sick. I do wear thin underpants when I am wearing the garment. I assume my daughter also wore underpants but likely it was thin bikini or even a thong. She does not know my status. Could she have contracted HSV-1 genitally this way? I don’t want to worry her unnecessarily so I only want to tell her if she is at risk.

My second question relates to HSV-2 transmission. My partner has genital HSV-2. I know that he is likely immune to contracting HSV-1 from me. You have said previously that is it not impossible for me to contract HSV-2 from him, though I may be at reduced risk because of my genital HSV-1. I assume I am at risk of contracting HSV-2 orally from him if I perform oral sex on him?

Thank you.

[Terri Warren]

I would NOT worry about transmitting herpes to your daughter through the mechanism that you describe, no. The underwear that you had on and she had on would offer protection here. Mostly your underwear. And you need a substantial amount of virus to give it to someone else anyway, and since you have HSV 1, you are shedding little so none of this worries me.

You are at some risk of acquiring hSV 2 orally by giving him oral sex yes, but I don’t think a huge risk. Have you actually been tested to know that you don’t have HSV 2 already?

The reason I would guess that massage therapist change the sheets between clients isn’t because of only HSV 2 (in fact that is extremely unlikely way to transmit, it is for all the other stuff that people might have that others might get, like bacteria and fungi and parasites, etc etc.

Terri

[janedoe3]

Thank you, Teri. That does bring peace of mind as far as my daughter goes, although I wear very thin underpants and I think I was shedding because I was wearing them just prior to an outbreak. Yes, I am certain I do not have HSV -2 both via blood tests (several) and swabs.

Last question: my partner does not like to take Valtrez and has some considerable health problems so I understand why he doesn’t want one more medication. As an older man, he is no longer able to tolerate condoms – loses sensation. Although I understand my risk of acquiring HSV 2 is low and the outbreaks might be milder, I already have enough aggravation with HSV 1 and other health issues, and I simply don’t want to risk acquiring the type 2 strain. Our sex life has suffered as a result. Do you think female condoms would afford me some protection? That might be the perfect solution since I am hyper sensitive thanks to menopause anyway!

[Terri Warren]

Yes! I think the female condoms offers even a bit more protection than the male condoms for herpes. Good thinking!!

Terri

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