Question about oral

[moosehorn]

Im a male and I just received a positive HSV diagnosis via blood test. There is so much conflicting information about transmission and risk, I don't know what to believe. Assuming I have HSV2 (the OB was in my genital area), can I transmit HSV to a woman when doing oral on her?

[LillianPanos]

no.  what i understand, oral hsv 1 can transmit to mouth and to genitals, hsv 2 genitals transmits genitals to genitals.  so if you have hsv 2 genitals, your mouth to her genitals no trasmission, unless you have hsv1 oral

[vzhe]

If you have it genitally, and it's HSV2, it's near impossible for you to transmit it orally.

And HSV2 does not seem to reactivate orally past an initial outbreak. I've heard conflicting things on this forum, but the studies all say that HSV2 pretty much does not become symptomatic when gotten oral. Which means that if she gives you head, and she gets it, she'd then be safe from getting it genitally. So oral sex is fine for HSV2 especially. 

[vzhe]

Clarifying: If you had it orally, you'd be able to pass it to her by giving head. It still sheds when you have it orally (just like 75% of people who have HSV-1 orally - but probably far far less so because HSV2 isn't very effective orally). 

But if you only have it genitally you can't pass it by giving her head. On the other hand: she giving you head might actually give it to her orally, which would most likely (not guaranteed) be symptom free, and prevent her from ever getting it genitally.

Edited January 7, 2017 by vzhe