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Asymptomatic Shedding
Since cold sores are likely to present when someone’s immunity is low ( like someone starts to feel a cold coming on), would it be fair to assume that the hsv1 virus on their lip would likely be shedding , whether a cold sore shows up or not?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Are you asking if shedding shows up when someone's immunity is low?
Maybe. Shedding happens when immunity is fine - it's part of the disease process. Oral hsv1 sheds, on average, 25% of days a year, outside of outbreaks. That varies from person to person, obviously, but everyone with herpes sheds.
Are you asking about the eye concern?
Your other question, which I am adding to this one, is:
"Can genital hsv1 be transferred to the eye of someone who is negative for both 1&2 ( confirmed prior via blood tests), if that person got vaginal secretions on their finger and rubbed their eye shortly afterwards?
Is herpes virus likely to be in vaginal fluid? (15+ years genital hsv1)"
You've had ghsv1 for 15+ years. You are probably shedding 1%, or 4 days a year, outside of outbreaks. Do you get outbreaks?
It would be HIGHLY unlikely for you to ever transmit it.
Maybe. Shedding happens when immunity is fine - it's part of the disease process. Oral hsv1 sheds, on average, 25% of days a year, outside of outbreaks. That varies from person to person, obviously, but everyone with herpes sheds.
Are you asking about the eye concern?
Your other question, which I am adding to this one, is:
"Can genital hsv1 be transferred to the eye of someone who is negative for both 1&2 ( confirmed prior via blood tests), if that person got vaginal secretions on their finger and rubbed their eye shortly afterwards?
Is herpes virus likely to be in vaginal fluid? (15+ years genital hsv1)"
You've had ghsv1 for 15+ years. You are probably shedding 1%, or 4 days a year, outside of outbreaks. Do you get outbreaks?
It would be HIGHLY unlikely for you to ever transmit it.
5 Comments
Thank you for responding. Yes, I was basically inquiring if shedding was more likely when immunity was low. The thing is, I had cold sores when I was younger, like age 5. Blood tests always showed HSV1. The first time I received oral sex, around age 20, I started itching a lot down there and there was a bump that seemed to appear off and on in the same spot … but the Dr dismissed it, saying it didn’t “look like “ herpes. I always wondered if I was apart of the few that contracted the same strain , because the person that performed oral was feeling under the weather. I wondered if their being under the weather made it more likely that they were shedding, which caused the bump, and itching cycles.
All blood tests for the next 15 years always only showed hsv1, but as a precaution, I have basically refrained from…anything , in order to not put anyone at risk. Well , I recently met a guy who says he’s negative for everything. He touched my vaginal fluid and minutes later I saw him scratching his eye. A couple days later, his eye is blurry , and there’s a bump in the middle of his eyelid. I’m freaking out. There’s a possibility I could be negative down there and I’ve worried for nothing…. Or I could be hsv1 positive down there also, but because I was already positive orally , that genitally it is much milder. I just hope this guys eye is not infected if I was “possibly” shedding down there. I’m sorry this is so long, but I thank you for clearing a few things up for me.
All blood tests for the next 15 years always only showed hsv1, but as a precaution, I have basically refrained from…anything , in order to not put anyone at risk. Well , I recently met a guy who says he’s negative for everything. He touched my vaginal fluid and minutes later I saw him scratching his eye. A couple days later, his eye is blurry , and there’s a bump in the middle of his eyelid. I’m freaking out. There’s a possibility I could be negative down there and I’ve worried for nothing…. Or I could be hsv1 positive down there also, but because I was already positive orally , that genitally it is much milder. I just hope this guys eye is not infected if I was “possibly” shedding down there. I’m sorry this is so long, but I thank you for clearing a few things up for me.
And as far as outbreaks, I’m not sure if the itching counted or the occasional bump was herpes or not…so I’m not sure.
Since you already have antibodies for hsv1, it would be really, really unlikely for you to get ghsv1 from someone without an active outbreak, when it is most contagious. It would be unlikely at all, really.
Itching can be caused by lots of things - yeast, bacterial vaginosis, irritation, shaving, etc. Bumps can, too.
Even if you had ghsv1, the chances that you were shedding at this point would be so minimal. Also, it takes direct skin to skin contact to transmit it. The only way you'd transmit ghsv1 is to have sex with someone, or really heavy, unclothed grinding or rubbing.
Since you are so concerned about transmitting hsv1, and you do have it orally, maybe it would ease your mind to go on daily suppressive therapy, like Valtrex or acyclovir. We don't have studies to know how much it reduces the risk, but we assume it's similar to hsv2. If you can't get that from your doctor, you can go on sites like Wisp, Lemonaid, GoodRx, Nurx, or GetRoman (there are others, too) and get them. I don't know how they do it for hsv1, but for hsv2, it's easier if you say you are having a lot of outbreaks.
I wouldn't worry about this hand to eye thing at all.
Itching can be caused by lots of things - yeast, bacterial vaginosis, irritation, shaving, etc. Bumps can, too.
Even if you had ghsv1, the chances that you were shedding at this point would be so minimal. Also, it takes direct skin to skin contact to transmit it. The only way you'd transmit ghsv1 is to have sex with someone, or really heavy, unclothed grinding or rubbing.
Since you are so concerned about transmitting hsv1, and you do have it orally, maybe it would ease your mind to go on daily suppressive therapy, like Valtrex or acyclovir. We don't have studies to know how much it reduces the risk, but we assume it's similar to hsv2. If you can't get that from your doctor, you can go on sites like Wisp, Lemonaid, GoodRx, Nurx, or GetRoman (there are others, too) and get them. I don't know how they do it for hsv1, but for hsv2, it's easier if you say you are having a lot of outbreaks.
I wouldn't worry about this hand to eye thing at all.
Thank you so much for including my previous question, getting the full picture, addressing each of my concerns and helping me to understand the virus and shedding process. It sounds like the odds may be in my favor. After many years of (possibly) unnecessary worry, I feel relief. I will look into the daily suppressants , and stop worrying about being the cause of his eye issue. Thanks again!
You're welcome. Take care :)
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
