Aa
HSV2 years later?
I have been with my significant other going on ten years and this past weekend I tested positive for HSV1 (my levels were a 9, is that high? What does this number mean?) after having an outbreak two months ago at a time I was immunocompromised and had high stress. We are in a committed relationship and both trust that we have been faithful. It looks like the virus has been dormant for many many years. My husband has not been tested yet, but we are assuming he is positive too. I cannot talk to my doctor until after the weekend. Here are some questions I have: Will I now actively have herpes outbreaks? Can I go another 9+ years of not having an outbreak? Is there really anyway of knowing? I also have a young daughter and am so terrified that she will somehow get it. If I am not currently having an outbreak and I don’t wash my hands well enough after using the restroom or somehow forget to wash, can she get it if I touch her face or when I’m changing her diaper? I know you can get oral HSV2 herpes, but is this just like a cold sore or will it reoccur?
I know this is a lot. Thanks in advanced. I’m very shocked and scared.
I know this is a lot. Thanks in advanced. I’m very shocked and scared.
It certainly can lay dormant for years and be brought out in situations like yours. Those are great questions for your doctor.
1 Comments
You may or may not have OBs from here on, but since you've gone so long without any it might be that your body has figured out how to keep it under control and this was a one time thing. I'm not sure there is any conclusive way to know unfortunately. As for passing it on via unwashed hands, I would say this has a very very low probability. The only way I see this happening would be you touching yourself then immediately touch your daughter on some vulnerable skin/entry point....and even then it would seem difficult for adequate transmission to occur. AuntieJessi can offer much better insight on all this. Oral hsv2 presents the same as type 1 but occurs orally much less frequently. The big difference is that it can oral hsv2 can occur in the throat, whereas oral hsv1 typically presents around the mouth externally.
COMMUNITY LEADER
If you were immunocomprised, it's not surprising that you'd get an outbreak, even if you've been infected for years.
A 9 on the test is pretty high, and it's clearly a positive. I've seen numbers into the 30s and 40s, but the cutoff is 1.10, and anything under 3.5 needs to be confirmed.
It doesn't mean much other than you are definitely positive - it doesn't indicate how long you've had it, how many outbreaks you've had, etc.
It's entirely possible that your husband will be negative. Without knowing your sex, I can't give you exact rates of transmission. If you have a vagina, the chances that he'd get it over the course of a year is about 4% if all you do is avoid sex when you have symptoms. If you are a same sex couple, unfortunately, we don't have studies on that, but we know that it's probably higher than other groups, and the chances of someone with a penis transmitting it to someone with a vagina is about 10% a year just avoiding sex with symptoms, so it's probably a bit higher than that.
*Will I now actively have herpes outbreaks? Can I go another 9+ years of not having an outbreak? Is there really anyway of knowing?
No, there is no way of knowing this. If you do continue to get outbreaks, you can try Valtrex, which can help reduce the frequency of outbreaks.
*I also have a young daughter and am so terrified that she will somehow get it. If I am not currently having an outbreak and I don’t wash my hands well enough after using the restroom or somehow forget to wash, can she get it if I touch her face or when I’m changing her diaper?
The only way you will transmit this your daughter is if you are having inappropriate sexual contact with her. Herpes is not spread by casual contact, like touching, hugging, household contact, etc. It is only transmitted by direct, unclothed skin to skin contact, like kissing, oral sex and genital to genital or genital to anal contact (vaginal and anal sex).
Regular hand washing kills the herpes virus on your hands. There is no need to do anything above and beyond. Continue washing your hands as normal.
*I know you can get oral HSV2 herpes, but is this just like a cold sore or will it reoccur?
It is very similar to a cold sore, but oral hsv2 rarely recurs and rarely sheds. Most people only get one outbreaks. It also rarely transmits to someone else. Oral hsv2 is considered rare.
Try not to worry so much. In reality, very little will change about your life.
A 9 on the test is pretty high, and it's clearly a positive. I've seen numbers into the 30s and 40s, but the cutoff is 1.10, and anything under 3.5 needs to be confirmed.
It doesn't mean much other than you are definitely positive - it doesn't indicate how long you've had it, how many outbreaks you've had, etc.
It's entirely possible that your husband will be negative. Without knowing your sex, I can't give you exact rates of transmission. If you have a vagina, the chances that he'd get it over the course of a year is about 4% if all you do is avoid sex when you have symptoms. If you are a same sex couple, unfortunately, we don't have studies on that, but we know that it's probably higher than other groups, and the chances of someone with a penis transmitting it to someone with a vagina is about 10% a year just avoiding sex with symptoms, so it's probably a bit higher than that.
*Will I now actively have herpes outbreaks? Can I go another 9+ years of not having an outbreak? Is there really anyway of knowing?
No, there is no way of knowing this. If you do continue to get outbreaks, you can try Valtrex, which can help reduce the frequency of outbreaks.
*I also have a young daughter and am so terrified that she will somehow get it. If I am not currently having an outbreak and I don’t wash my hands well enough after using the restroom or somehow forget to wash, can she get it if I touch her face or when I’m changing her diaper?
The only way you will transmit this your daughter is if you are having inappropriate sexual contact with her. Herpes is not spread by casual contact, like touching, hugging, household contact, etc. It is only transmitted by direct, unclothed skin to skin contact, like kissing, oral sex and genital to genital or genital to anal contact (vaginal and anal sex).
Regular hand washing kills the herpes virus on your hands. There is no need to do anything above and beyond. Continue washing your hands as normal.
*I know you can get oral HSV2 herpes, but is this just like a cold sore or will it reoccur?
It is very similar to a cold sore, but oral hsv2 rarely recurs and rarely sheds. Most people only get one outbreaks. It also rarely transmits to someone else. Oral hsv2 is considered rare.
Try not to worry so much. In reality, very little will change about your life.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
