Can HSV-1 Be Contracted Through Sharing An Object?

Posted on Tue, 20 Dec 2016

Question: When I was in high school, I got a cold sore from sharing lip gloss, drinks, something of that nature (I hadn't kissed anyone yet). Later on, when I was around 18, I had only been intimate with one person and oneday, I broke out down there. Thinking it was an allergic reaction or a yeast infection, I went to the doctor and they tested me for hsv. They done a swab test and it came back positive for hsv-1. Knowing I had cold sores, I didn't think much about it because, I assumed that part would show up positive, period. Now, I'm having second thoughts and would like to know if hsv orally, will show up on a genital test? Or are the swab tests specific to one area? I haven't had any sort of outbreak since and haven't had a cold sore in a long time either. Could it have been an allergic reaction and it show up positive from where I have it on my mouth?

Answered by Dr. Manish Purohit (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Hsv infection may recur during life .

Detailed Answer:
dear mam ,
thanks for posting your query to HCM .
As I understand your lip infecrion was diagnosed as HSV 1 . HSV is a viral infection and there are 2 type of such virus 1 and 2 . type 2 usually causes genital infection and type 1 infection above waist but it is not specific and they can cause infection to any site .
As your cold sore smear got positive swab test for HSV 1 so it is not a allergy but a HSV infection .

you dont need to be worried as it is a viral infection amd HSV remain silent in nerve ganglion and recure periodically any time and cure itself after a period of time . it could be acquire from patient of HSV .
thanks . feel free to contact .

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. Manish Purohit (22 hours later)

Thank you for your help. The swab they done, was below the belt. I rarely get yeast infections, so I thought that's what it was or an allergic reaction to something. When the swab test came back positive for hsv-1, I thought it was from where I had cold sores before on my mouth and that, no matter where I was tested, it would show up.
Are the swab tests specific to one area or could it have showed up because it was in my body already? Also, could it have been a false positive since I haven't broke out at all since in the past 10 years? I took an antibiotic and it went away in 2-3 days.

When you say it can cure itself, do you mean heal on its own or go away for good?
Sorry, I have a lot of questions about this. Thank you though for your help.

Answered by Dr. Manish Purohit (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No problem, you can ask questions.

Detailed Answer:
Dear madam no problem, you can ask any number of question.

First I can't say about false positivity of test result as I don't know by which method lab have performed the test.
But as the HSV is a common infection it may be a cause for your illness.
Second HSV manifest as multiple painful vesicle on skin and mucus membrane which heal spontaneously within 2 to 3 days and in between new vesicle develop. Complete disease is resolved within 10 to 14 days.

Disease may recur anytime during life as once virus enter inside body, it hide itself inside nerve ganglion and can not be eradicated by medicine.
If you didn't have such kind of manifestation your lesion could be due to some other allergic or infective cause.
Antibiotics are effective in bacterial infection, they do not have any role in viral infection.

Hope i have answered all of your question.
Feel free to contact if any more query.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Manish Purohit (36 minutes later)

Thank you. I just wanted to be clear about things before bringing it up to the person I'm with. I don't want to say that I have hsv-1 down there, if I don't. You said that it's possible with it being on my lip and in my body, that it can appear anywhere on it?

Answered by Dr. Manish Purohit (14 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Hsv transferred only during active phase of infection .

Detailed Answer:
Yes, HSV 1 can appear anywhere, not only on upper body.

Genital HSV can be transferred during active phase of illness to your sexual partner .
once it goes to neuron in silent stage it will not transferred .
it can spread to any part of body and remain silently in nerve ganglion there but transferred only during active infection .
thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Manish Purohit (35 minutes later)

The person I was with at the time, didn't have an active infection is why it confused me. I always assumed that it showed up positive down there from being in my body in general. So I assumed right? This is very reassuring. Thank you!!

Answered by Dr. Manish Purohit (0 minute later)

Brief Answer:
You may got infection from different source.

Detailed Answer:
it is not always necessary to get infection by sexual mode . virus can enter through mucus membrane ,breach in the skin, genitalia etc.
direct contact of patient saliva or mucosal secretion can transfer the virus .I dont know from where you got such infection .
thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Manish Purohit (33 minutes later)

Thank you, I'm not really sure where to go from here, but you've given me a lot of information and a lot to think about. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Manish Purohit (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are most welcome .

Detailed Answer:
No need for any thanks, you are most welcome .

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. Manish Purohit (14 hours later)

I spoke with a nurse today and told her what happened. She said that when they tested me from having a rash down there, that it probably showed up positive for hsv-1 from having cold sores in the past. That in rare cases, it can show up on other areas of the body as it is a finicky thing. Having your opinion and hers both is very reassuring and helpful. From now on, I will not go to the er for anything unless it is an absolute emergency!

Answered by Dr. Manish Purohit (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Good .

Detailed Answer:
Good . hope for best . boost your immunity taking good nutritious dite , maintain good hygein , remove stress and tension and rest leave on god . every thing will be fine . Good luck .

Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng