Getting herpes from mutual masturbation

[scaredofherp]

This past weekend I engaged in mutual masturbation with two different men (I am also a man).  During both encounters there was no oral to genital or genital to genital contact (no oral/anal sex or even rubbing our genitals together).  However, at times in both encounters my sexual partner would touch his own genitals, then touch my genitals, and then back to touching my genitals.  I probably also did this as well in both encounters (touched his genitals, touched my genitals, and then touched his genitals).  In the second encounter, the other guys also used his own spit as lubricant on my genitals before I could object to it.  I know that both of these individuals are pretty sexually active.  Now two days after the encounter (yesterday) I woke up with a fever, headache, tender glans in my neck, sore throat, and strange back pain, which I have convinced myself is some sort of herpes prodrome.  However, I do not have any sores/blisters on my genitals (at least as of yet).  I was wondering how worried should I be about these two sexual encounters as far as genital herpes (I kissed both individuals during the encounter and therefore I know I am at risk for oral herpes).  I have been previously tested for HSV (using IGG testing) and I am negative for both HSV 1 and 2.  How concerned should I be about this encounter?  I am really freaking out at this point!  I have seen different information on the internet about the risk mutual masturbation poses (Possible to spread herpes through mutual masturbation, but maybe under reported because other higher risk sexual acts occurred along with mutual masturbation (oral/vaginal/anal sex)).  Thanks so much for your help!

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I would agree that the risk is so low that I wouldn't spend time worrying about it, yes.  The fact that saliva was involved ups the risk very very slightly, but I still think the risk is incredibly low, and yes, the risk would be HSV 1, not HSV 2.

Terri

[scaredofherp]

Ms. Warren, I am still a bit confused.  So you are saying that while the risk is very low - I should still be worried from these encounters?  I am just trying to figure this out because I saw this from article you wrote called "The Top Ten Questions About Genital Herpes: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask."

"And finally, what about when one person masturbates another? This is truly safe sex as far as herpes is concerned. Unless someone has a herpes lesion on his or her hand, which is so rare it’s not worth even
considering, masturbation presents no risk for transmission. “Okay,” you say, “but what if the person touches his or her genitals and then touches mine?” Again, the risk is so low; don’t spend any time and energy even worrying about it."

I take from this that unless the individuals I messed around with had herpetic whitlow (which I believe is very rare), then I shouldn't worry about these encounters.  Was it the element of the saliva in the one encounter that put me in greater risk?  Does the herpes virus travel in spit?  So am I at risk for getting genital HSV-1, but not HSV-2 because of the encounter with the saliva?  Sorry to bother you again, I just want to know how worried I should be from these encounters and more importantly how to behave sexually in the future to eliminate my risk of acquiring HSV-1 or 2.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

It isn't possible to acquire herpes through mutual masturbation if everyone touches only one penis (either theirs or their partners) but I suppose there is some very very limited risk if saliva is used to each touches both penises, though I think it is very very small.  

Since there was no other kind of contact, like oral or anal contact, I feel that your contact was really quite safe.  I would be very surprised if you came up with anything sexually related from this encounter!

Terri