Type 1 Genital means what?

[looking4answers]

I'm really glad I found this site. It has really helped as I was tested last week and my suspicions were confirmed yesterday by blood and sample tests.

If there is anywhere I can receive some feedback, it's this site and I could really use some help right now.

A little background of my situation:

I am 35 and just before I began seeing a new boyfriend 2 months ago I had the gamut of std tests done, all negative. He said he was healthy as well. We had unprotected sex multiple times in the 2 month duration. He is the first in many many years outside of a long term relationship of which I did not use a condom. Neither of us had any visual signs of any std and neither of us had any symptoms. Last Monday I began feeling an unfamiliar burning and itching sensation and thought it may be a yeast infection or a uti (I'm not too familiar with either of them as I have only had 2 of each infection in my life). By Wed. the symptoms were very painful and I went to see my doctor. She saw a couple small bumps and said immediately, "It's herpes." Yesterday (one week after my tests), my doctor said the swab taken from my inner labia tested positive for the type 1 virus however, my blood tested negative for type 1 and type 2. She asked me if I have had oral sex. Yes, I have had oral sex. She said the virus is new since it is not showing in my blood yet and wants me to come back in 2 weeks for more blood work. My boyfriend did not have any cold sores on his mouth or penis at any time during these 2 months together.

The questions;

What does this mean? Can I give him Type 1 herpes on his penis through oral and/or sex? We talked last night and he does not believe he has herpes. I want him to get tested but he has no insurance. If he tests negative, then what? If he tests positive, then what? I have no desire for him to endure the pain that I went through. He said he has had cold sores in the past, but not recently. Will my type 1 spread to his genitalia? Will it spread to my mouth or his mouth? Is it possible to have type 1 only orally and not know it? Is it possible to give someone type 1 on the genitalia if they already have type 1 oral? If I did not contract this virus from him, then where could it have possibly come from?

Thanks for reading and if you decide to post a reply I would be very grateful.

[looking4answers]

One more question...

If I am positive for type 1 does this mean I can still get type 2?

Maybe a silly question, but I needed to ask.

[BoxofRain]

looking for answers:

if you have type 1, then yes it is still possible for you to also get type 2. Lots of people on here have both strains as you will find. Some people like to think that having one type of virus may offer some defense against another strain but what help it might even offer is not enough to keep you from getting another type.......as having antibodies to either strain is not enough to give immunity to another strain due to the nature of the virus and its capabilities of bypassing being detected by the immmune system in different ways. Its not just so simple. In regards to the first post, if he has "gotten cold sores in the past, but none recently" then HE HAS HERPES and HAS HAD HERPES for a while, if he got them in the past but not recently. Sadly, you probably got genital type one from his ORAL HERPES. A cold sore never has to be present to infect someone elses genitals or oral region if a person has oral herpes. The sad thing is that some people dont realize cold sores are in fact oral herpes and can be spread to others genitals and mouths through sex, oral sex, and even just kissing. Most people also dont realize that even if they havent had a cold sore in a long time or since they were younger, that they can still spread the virus, that they do in fact have herpes and need to inform their potential partners as a person kissing them can get it orally, or if they perform oral sex on a partner (cold sore visible or not present) that they will be shedding the virus from their oral region some of the time asymptomatically and can in fact infect partners.

There is also the chance you already had this, but if you test positive ONLY for type 1 genitally and you already know he has ORAL herpes (coldsores-usually type 1) then it is most likely you got genital herpes from his oral herpes. It is hard news to get. If this is what has happened then yes, in fact, he can now get it genitally from your genitals if you keep having sex. Some people like to think because he already has type 1 orally that he has some immmunity to developing it in another area but that is not known and for many people they still get infected in the opposite area so it is definitely a risk. You can also get oral herpes in your mouth from kissing him, and may have already but many people dont get symptoms ever so they have no idea they have oral herpes infections and can transmit the virus to others, all the while never knowing because they never see symptoms (thats why oral herpes are so common in the US because so many people either dont understand coldsores are oral herpes, that they can spread the virus with or WITHOUT coldsores present, and that a blood test is needed specifically for herpes to determine if one carries the virus, if they have never shown visible symptoms) For some people, genital herpes infections that are type 1 tend to get less outbreaks, as the type 1 strain of the virus prefers the oral region over the genital to reside, but you will still always be potentially contagious down below and can spread the virus from that region with or without symptoms ever present so it is important to always inform any potential partners, as it is a risk if they have sex with you or perform oral sex on you....as the could get it in their mouths as a result. Just wait for the results and take it from there......and in regards to your boyfriend......there are tons of free clinics, planned parenthood can also help if he has not insurance, and if they themselves do not test via blood for herpes then they can refer you somewhere that does. Its imperative he gets tested (although you already know he does in fact have oral herpes from his coldsores and will infact test positive for type 1) just wait and see and get him to the docs. asap. If you test positive in a few weeks via blood, after testing negative the first time via blood then you will know it is a recent infection, therefore narrowing it down to basically your boyfriend, esp. if your type matches his oral herpes type. Good luck:)

[uk girl]

Hi, your story sounds very similar to mine.

My husband suffers with coldsores and hasn't had one in years,we had oral sex, i was diagnosed with genital herpes type 1 in March, then it looks very likely i have passed it to him genitally now.

We were not aware that coldsores could be transmitted to any other region.

We are more than aware now!!!!!!!

Just because your b/f hasn't had a coldsore for a long time does not mean he is not contagious.

Isn't there a facility to get tested if you haven't got insurance?or do you have to pay for everything medical?

We do not have to pay for medical treatment in the U.K,(although the tax's we pay go to fund this) if we need medication we pay a precription charge of £6.75 for the item of medicine we need,or if we want to see a private consultant, for a quicker consultation, we do have to pay for this.

[Caliope]

Boxofrain and uk girl are telling you straight up.

The unfortunate thing is you are not alone. This is becoming an epidemic because most people just don't understand what hsv is and how it is transmitted. Some people are infected with hsv and never get ob's or they only get one ever or they get them so seldom they fail to understand that they are contagious. It is contagious when there is an active ob and also contagious when the virus is shedding asymptomatically (without symptoms).

Condoms are not 100% effective against transmitting hsv so even with protection the possibilty exists to contract or transmit this virus.

Here is a link that explains some of this.

http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/herpes_simplex_1_and_2.htm

[looking4answers]

Thank you all!

I really appreciate the time you all took to read and reply to my post. It is wonderful that there are people out there who care and have knowledge they are willing to share.

Now that I have these answers, it brings to mind a couple more. I hope they are not too naive.

-Does this mean I will no longer be able to get oral from my boyfriend? Or since I already have type 1 genital, I can't get it again?

-Does this mean I cannot give him oral without a condom?

-Can we no longer have genital sex without a condom?

-We cannot kiss without me getting type 1 oral?

-If he has type 2 genital would it have shown in my blood test yet?

Thanks so much.... and again, if you can answer these questions, I would be very grateful.