transmission conditions

[louis458]

Not only am I new to herpes, I'm new to posting, so if I violate etiquette somehow, please set me straight.

I’m a man with genital HSV-1.  If I give oral sex to a woman who has the same thing, or kiss a woman who has oral HSV-1, am I at risk for a “new” case of HSV-1, this time orally?  If she has chronic HSV-1, contracted in childhood, and doesn’t know it, is she at risk for a genital outbreak if we have unprotected sex?  

Finally, if so many people are unknowingly infected, what exactly does it mean to "have" herpes?

Thanks.

[louis458]

Thanks, but you didn't really address my questions.  But you've answered similar questions from others quite thoroughly, as I've discovered after searching this forum, so I can use that information.

[gracefromHHP]

Unless you get obvious cold sores too, no easy ( or cheap ) way to know if you only have hsv1 genitally or if you also have it orally. Were you originally diagnosed with a lesion culture that was hsv1+?

If your partner also has hsv1, but only oral as far as they know, they still have significant protection against contracting hsv1 from you genitally. Always avoid sexual contact whenever you have an obvious genital ob just to err on the side of caution.  

grace