genital hsv2 transmission from saliva

[Elevelyn]

Hello Doctors:  My apologies, I accidentally posted this in the community forum. I though I was in the correct place.  I am hoping you can help to ease my concern. I try to be very responsible sexually at all times.  I have recently begun dating someone has HSV2 genitally.  He does not know if he has it orally, but does not recall any oral outbreak. He does not have HSV1 (he was tested).  I have oral HSV1 but no outbreak for years. Last night, he was touching me vaginally with his fingers.  At one point, he wet his finger with his mouth and then touched me.  He did not have any oral contact on me otherwise.  This morning, he called to tell me he has a swollen lip.  He said that yesterday he had 3 small pimples just below his lip where the small patch of hair used to be (he shaved the hair off a few days ago because the pimples were there).  After I left last night, he said he messed with them and now his lip is swollen. I hadn't even noticed them.  He initially thought the pimples were from shaving around the hair or from the hair there. I couldn't help but think of herpes, especially given the fact that his lip swelled (since pimples don't generally cause a lip to swell) . My question is, could this be oral herpes and if so what are my risks of getting HSV2 genitally from him wetting his finger with his mouth and touching me?  I am very concerned and would appreciate your thoughts.    

[Elevelyn]

Thank you again doctor,  You have truly eased my mind. Have a wonderful day.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The likelihood of him acquiring oral and genital infection simultaneously is incredibly low.

Your own HSV-1 infection does make no longer susceptible to HSV-1 and makes you less vulnerable to acquisition of HSV-2 at any site. EWH

[Elevelyn]

Thank you so much doctor.  Just one last clarification...if by some chance he had acquired oral when he contracted genital initially and this was an outbreak (although I realize that is doubtful)  would my having hsv1 help protect me from contracting it orally through kissing.  Your comments certainly put my mind at ease and I thank you for that.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to the Forum.  I'll be pleased to comment.  I would not worry that your BF's swollen lip is HSV.  Several reasons for this.

1.  If he has genital herpes, there is almost no chance that he also has oral HSV-2.  HSV is a local infection which infects the skin and nerves of one part of the body and not others. When a person gets HSV, there body develops an immune response which keeps the infection from moving to other parts of the body. Thus your BF's genital infection is not going to be present elsewhere.

2.  HSV is spread by DIRECT, not indirect contact.  Thus even if he had oral HSV, you would not be at risk of infection because he wet his finger and then touched your genitals.

2.  If he had somehow acquired HSV, it would not appear until at least 4 days after the contact.  HSV lesions typically appear 4-14 days after an exposure and would never appear less than 24 hours later.

I suspect that with his manipulation of the area where the pimples were he may have caused a skin infection due to bacteria on his skin and/or in the pimples.  If the area of swelling and irritation increases, he should see his doctor.  he may need antibiotic therapy.  He should also stop squeezing, scratching or otherwise manipulating the area.

I hope these comments are helpful. EWH