Help with herpes simplex 1?!

No, it is not a sign of HIV!.

Yes, it means you probably received it through oral sex from a partner with a history of cold sores - the chance of you having caught it from a partner having genital hsv-1 is MUCH MUCH lower - partly because hsv-1 is five times more infectious when on the mouth and partly because the vast majority of people with hsv-1 have it orally!.

If you received it from your current partner - and if you were with them and them alone in the few weeks before you developed symptoms this is highly likely (symptoms normally show about 4 days after contact) - then their risk of catching it from you is EXTREMELY low - so low many doctors say it is not possible!. This is because they already have the same virus, probably on the mouth, and will produce antibodies to that virus which should prevent them getting it in a second place!.

My boyfriend has cold sores - oral hsv-1!. He gave me genital hsv-1, even though he hadn't had a cold sore for ages!. We don't use protection, and have even had sex by accident while I have been having an outbreak!. I have kissed him by accident when he has a cold sore!. Although this is not recommended to be on the safe side, we didn't each catch the virus in a second place because we both already have it, albeit in a different location!. This is one reason that genital hsv-1 is still rare, comparatively, compared to oral hsv-1 - it tends to be caught by people who do not already have oral hsv-1!.

The advice of the Herpes Viruses Association is as follows:

"Will my partner catch it again if he or she already has it!?"

"If you and your partner have the same virus you will not reinfect each other - even on a different part of the body!. So, if you have caught it on your genital from your partner

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