Aa
Oral Sex and Herpes
Good afternoon Doctor,
I had unprotected oral sex for close to 5-8 mins and protected vaginal penetration with a escort roughly 20 mins. This took place last Sunday 03/16/2014 so 8 days ago. Since that time I have not had any symptoms of HSV on my genitals. I am a immunocompromised patient suffering from a autoimmune condition and taking 10mg of prednisone daily tapered down since September of 2013.
With this information:
1. Would the prednisone delay seroconversion? Also would this delay symptoms of herpes?
2. Being immunocompromised would the symptoms be more severe in outbreak? Also being on the lookout closely would one know they are having an outbreak?
3. What is the time frame normally to see a outbreak from an exposure? And in this time frame when would you say to move on? after 10days?
I had unprotected oral sex for close to 5-8 mins and protected vaginal penetration with a escort roughly 20 mins. This took place last Sunday 03/16/2014 so 8 days ago. Since that time I have not had any symptoms of HSV on my genitals. I am a immunocompromised patient suffering from a autoimmune condition and taking 10mg of prednisone daily tapered down since September of 2013.
With this information:
1. Would the prednisone delay seroconversion? Also would this delay symptoms of herpes?
2. Being immunocompromised would the symptoms be more severe in outbreak? Also being on the lookout closely would one know they are having an outbreak?
3. What is the time frame normally to see a outbreak from an exposure? And in this time frame when would you say to move on? after 10days?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
This was a low risk exposure for herpes. Condoms work reasonably well in protection for vaginal sex, and oral sex is safe sex -- even unprotected. I would judge your overall odds of catching genital herpes from this single sexual contact to be somewhere around 1 chance in 10,000. That's equivalent to having a similar sexual experience once daily for 27 years before herpes might be likely!
10 mg of prednisone given very mild immunocompromise, certainly not enough to have any effect regarding herpes. Anyway, even though serious immunocomproise can make HSV infections worse, but it does not increase the chance of infection if exposured. To your specific questions:
1) This implies you're having an HSV blood test? There's really no need; I recommend against it. But if you do it, your prednisone will make no difference in test performance or time to develop HSV antibody.
2) See above. You're not really immunocompromised, or barely so. Definitely not enough to make any difference in the severity of a herpes infection.
3) Usually symptoms of initial herpes start in 3-5 days and almost always within 10 days; very rarely as long as 2-3 weeks, but for practical purposes you're out of the woods already.
All things considered, you really needn't be at all worried. Of course see a doctor or clinic of you develop genital blisters or sores, but almost certainly that's not going to happen.
I hope this has helped reassure you. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
This was a low risk exposure for herpes. Condoms work reasonably well in protection for vaginal sex, and oral sex is safe sex -- even unprotected. I would judge your overall odds of catching genital herpes from this single sexual contact to be somewhere around 1 chance in 10,000. That's equivalent to having a similar sexual experience once daily for 27 years before herpes might be likely!
10 mg of prednisone given very mild immunocompromise, certainly not enough to have any effect regarding herpes. Anyway, even though serious immunocomproise can make HSV infections worse, but it does not increase the chance of infection if exposured. To your specific questions:
1) This implies you're having an HSV blood test? There's really no need; I recommend against it. But if you do it, your prednisone will make no difference in test performance or time to develop HSV antibody.
2) See above. You're not really immunocompromised, or barely so. Definitely not enough to make any difference in the severity of a herpes infection.
3) Usually symptoms of initial herpes start in 3-5 days and almost always within 10 days; very rarely as long as 2-3 weeks, but for practical purposes you're out of the woods already.
All things considered, you really needn't be at all worried. Of course see a doctor or clinic of you develop genital blisters or sores, but almost certainly that's not going to happen.
I hope this has helped reassure you. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I really appreciate the confidence in your reply, in return it has calmed me down a lot. Doctor Handsfield let me ask what are the rare causes of the symptoms being delayed in some cases to 2-3 weeks?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
There are no known causes, it's just random (and rare).
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
