Worried sick about potential straw transmission

[WorriedFearful]

Hi Terri,
5 days ago I went out for dinner with a friend of mine. They took a few sips through my straw without asking, I don’t share drinks with people because it’s something I was always told not to do as a child. About 2 minutes later I forgot myself and took a few sips through my straw(same straw). I was okay until later that night/ the next day when I started worrying uncontrollably about what happened. I know my friend has had genital hsv for around 12 years but I don’t know whether it’s hsv1 or hsv2 or what their status is orally. I’m worried sick that I’ve put myself and my partner at risk. I haven’t been sleeping properly and am so anxious I can’t really eat. I’m afraid to kiss my partner who is trying to stop me spiralling.I’ve never had cold sores nor has my partner. I’ve read other posts on the forum about straws but still wanted to ask my own question. I don’t have any symptoms that I can tell, just feel emotionally exhausted and down from the worry.
My question is, if I get to 10 days and I don’t have any sores do you think it’s unlikely that this event has given me hsv?

[Terri Warren]

Wait, you are saying that you are worried about the straw incident because the person who used the straw has genital herpes?
That whole situation does not put you at risk of acquiring HSV from this person. The virus doesn’t come up through their genitals and out through their mouth. The HSV genital variety stays in the group of nerves that innervate the boxer shorts area, it doesn’t come out through the mouth.

Terri

[WorriedFearful]

Hi Terri,

Apologies, I should have provided more clarity. I’m worried about the straw incident because I’m unsure if the person has oral hsv or not. I know they have it genitally but not sure about orally. I know that having it genitally doesn’t mean they have it orally and that these are separate. I think the different information online has sent me into a worry spiral.

It’s now been 10 days since the straw incident and I don’t have any cold sores. I also didn’t notice any cold sores present on the person 10 days ago. I know I may be already carrying the virus for years and not know it but my concerns are just related to this incident.

1.If the person does have oral hsv, now that it’s 10 days after the incident and I don’t have any cold sores do you think it’s unlikely that I have gotten hsv from this incident?

I’m sorry if this seems silly or unnecessary. As someone who doesn’t understand the herpes virus I’ve just found the different information on the Internet absolutely mind wrecking and needed someone knowledgeable to ask.

[WorriedFearful]

Hi Terri,

I just thought I’d add a bit of context to my posts. My friend that has genital herpes has been through an immensely tough time mentally because of it. I think watching them struggle emotionally because of it for 10+ years and trying to comfort them through all the tears has made me extremely scared of contracting hsv (Presuming I don’t already have hsv asymptomatically).

I think my main fear is that if my friend does have oral herpes also, and has transmitted it to me that even if I don’t show symptoms I could pass it to my partner genitally during oral sex.

I have been in a monogamous relationship for over 5 years and neither of us have shown symptoms or been tested for hsv before. My partners’ view is that if I don’t develop cold sores then we shouldn’t worry about it but I’m concerned that a few months down the line I’ll still have this “what if?” in the back of my mind. I’m worried that I’d be anticipating symptoms appearing months down the line.

1.I’m wondering if you think it would be worth getting screened via an igg test for hsv1 and hsv2 as a baseline now and seeing what the results are?

2.I know that my friend still has outbreaks at least a couple of times per year and had them even more frequently in the first few years after contracting the virus. Would this make it more likely to be hsv2 genitally rather than hsv1 genitally?

3.Can hsv2 be present both genitally and orally in one person?

4.Is it correct that saliva has antiviral properties which could protect against contracting the virus up to a certain volume?

[Terri Warren]

1.I’m wondering if you think it would be worth getting screened via an igg test for hsv1 and hsv2 as a baseline now and seeing what the results are?
The problem with that idea is all the false positives we see on the IgG tests. You could do the test but if it is positive, you cannot count on the results.

2.I know that my friend still has outbreaks at least a couple of times per year and had them even more frequently in the first few years after contracting the virus. Would this make it more likely to be hsv2 genitally rather than hsv1 genitally?
yes

3.Can hsv2 be present both genitally and orally in one person?
yes, but normally it is HSV 2 genitally and HSV 1 orally if they have both

4.Is it correct that saliva has antiviral properties which could protect against contracting the virus up to a certain volume?
Not that I know of, no

5..If the person does have oral hsv, now that it’s 10 days after the incident and I don’t have any cold sores do you think it’s unlikely that I have gotten hsv from this incident?
I think it is very unlikely, yes

Terri

• This reply was modified 2 months, 1 week ago by Terri Warren.

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