Doctors of reddit: partner and I both have HSV-1. I have it orally, they have it genitally. Can they transmit it to me genitally if I already have it?
We have both had blood tests that confirm we both carry the same variation of the virus (HSV1). The literature about this online remains maddeningly unclear, but I am hoping someone can clarify. If I already have the virus orally, would I be able to get the infection genitally?
I've tried to find more info online, and some places say you can spread the virus to other places (eye, genitals, anus) if you have an outbreak and touch a sore and then other parts of your body. Other sources say that if you have oral HSV1, it's incredibly unlikely you would also contract it genitally, because you have already developed antibodies for the virus due to the previous infection. I am hoping to get some clarification on this.
I know that Herpes, while incurable, is a relatively minor STI. We are just trying to keep one another safe for eventual other partners and understand better how it works. |