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Can HSV Be Contracted Through Genito-genital Contact?
Question: Hello!
I am a woman and a few months ago I had (unprotected) sex with a man, but no oral/genital contact at all. 10 weeks later I experienced symptoms that looked like herpes (a lot of itching and little pimples on the skin near the vagina). I was misinformed and had a blood test done instead of a culture of the lesion. The test came back positive for HSV1 and negative for HSV2. Since the blood test is not site specific, I am not sure what to do with this result. How likely is it that I got HSV1 transmitted from genital to genital ?
Thank you !
I am a woman and a few months ago I had (unprotected) sex with a man, but no oral/genital contact at all. 10 weeks later I experienced symptoms that looked like herpes (a lot of itching and little pimples on the skin near the vagina). I was misinformed and had a blood test done instead of a culture of the lesion. The test came back positive for HSV1 and negative for HSV2. Since the blood test is not site specific, I am not sure what to do with this result. How likely is it that I got HSV1 transmitted from genital to genital ?
Thank you !
Brief Answer:
HSV 1 infection can manifest over genitals.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
You had mentioned that you had unprotected sex with a man, but no oral or genital contact. I really don't get what you mean by that. Had anal intercourse?
HSV 1 infection is generally transmitted through non sexual route whereas HSV 2 is essentially a sexually transmitted infection. But in rare occasion HSV 1 can be transmitted to genitals through oral sex or kissing whereas HSV 2 can not manifest elsewhere other than ano-genital area. Generally viral culture test had not been done as it is very difficult to grow the virus and its identification.
If your partner performed oral sex on you or kissed your genitals you would be likely to get HSV 1 infection.
It is not a life threatening infection. Nothing to worry. Good drugs are available to treat the same. Your physician would help in this regard.
Dr S.Murugan
HSV 1 infection can manifest over genitals.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
You had mentioned that you had unprotected sex with a man, but no oral or genital contact. I really don't get what you mean by that. Had anal intercourse?
HSV 1 infection is generally transmitted through non sexual route whereas HSV 2 is essentially a sexually transmitted infection. But in rare occasion HSV 1 can be transmitted to genitals through oral sex or kissing whereas HSV 2 can not manifest elsewhere other than ano-genital area. Generally viral culture test had not been done as it is very difficult to grow the virus and its identification.
If your partner performed oral sex on you or kissed your genitals you would be likely to get HSV 1 infection.
It is not a life threatening infection. Nothing to worry. Good drugs are available to treat the same. Your physician would help in this regard.
Dr S.Murugan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Oops, i meant no contact from oral to genital. There was only genital to genital contact. I mentioned that because from what I am reading online, it seems HSV1 is mostly transmitted genitally by oral contact, and almost never from genital to genital contact. I am wondering if my HSV1 antibodies indicate that I might have genital HSV1 or if it is not likely, because i want to know what I should to tell future partners ?
Brief Answer:
HSV1 infection could be acquired earlier through non-venereal route.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
As you rightly pointed out, if you had only genito-genital contact without any oro-genital contact, it is quite unlikely that you got the infection from your sex partner and it could be the antibodies against HSV 1 that you had acquired earlier through non-venereal route. You need not reveal this HSV 1 infection to your future partners as it is not a venereal disease and as it is not necessary to be infectious always.
HSV 1 infection is almost positive in 30% of any population. So it could unlikely be due to this recent contact.
Dr S.Murugan
HSV1 infection could be acquired earlier through non-venereal route.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
As you rightly pointed out, if you had only genito-genital contact without any oro-genital contact, it is quite unlikely that you got the infection from your sex partner and it could be the antibodies against HSV 1 that you had acquired earlier through non-venereal route. You need not reveal this HSV 1 infection to your future partners as it is not a venereal disease and as it is not necessary to be infectious always.
HSV 1 infection is almost positive in 30% of any population. So it could unlikely be due to this recent contact.
Dr S.Murugan
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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