Can you get herpes from oral sex

Oral herpes is usually caused by HSV-1 and can result in cold sores or fever blisters on or around the mouth. However, most people do not have any symptoms. Most people with oral herpes were infected during childhood or young adulthood from non-sexual contact with saliva.

Oral herpes caused by HSV-1 can be spread from the mouth to the genitals through oral sex. This is why some cases of genital herpes are caused by HSV Genital herpes is common in the United States. More than one out of every six people aged 14 to 49 years have genital herpes. You can get genital herpes by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the disease. If you do not have herpes, you can get infected if you come into contact with the herpes virus in:.

You can get herpes from a sex partner who does not have a visible sore or who may not know he or she is infected. It is also possible to get genital herpes if you receive oral sex from a sex partner who has oral herpes. You will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools, or from touching objects around you such as silverware, soap, or towels. If you have additional questions about how herpes is spread, consider discussing your concerns with a healthcare provider.

If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting genital herpes:. Be aware that not all herpes sores occur in areas that are covered by a latex condom.

Also, herpes virus can be released shed from areas of the skin that do not have a visible herpes sore. For these reasons, condoms may not fully protect you from getting herpes. If you are in a relationship with a person known to have genital herpes, you can lower your risk of getting genital herpes if:. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, it is very important for you to go to prenatal care visits.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had symptoms of, or have been diagnosed with, genital herpes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever been exposed to genital herpes. There is some research that suggests that genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage, or could make it more likely for you to deliver your baby too early. Herpes infection can be passed from you to your unborn child before birth but is more commonly passed to your infant during delivery.

This can lead to a potentially deadly infection in your baby called neonatal herpes. It is important that you avoid getting herpes during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, you may be offered anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy.

This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes at the time of delivery. At the time of delivery, your doctor should carefully examine you for herpes sores. Like genital herpes, though, symptoms of oral herpes can be very mild and go unnoticed. Subtle symptoms can be easily mistaken for another infection or condition such as a small crack or cut in the skin, chapped lips, bug bite, or a pimple, to name a few examples.

At least a quarter of people with oral herpes experience recurrences. Again, as with the first episode, symptoms vary from person to person. Lesions may appear as either a blister or a cluster of blisters or sores. It is possible that a recurrence will involve only the subtle symptoms described above. Signs and symptoms of a recurrent episode when they occur tend to last about 8 — 10 days on average. Blister- or sore-like lesions will usually crust over during the healing phase.

If a person had fairly mild symptoms in their first episode, then recurrences will likely also tend to be mild. The number of recurrences varies from person to person and tends to decrease over time. The prodrome often precedes lesions by a day or two. During this time, it is best to assume virus is active and, therefore, can be spread through close contact. Skip to content. Oral Herpes Approximately 50 percent of the adult population in the United States has oral herpes.

Most cases of genital herpes are caused by the HSV-2 strain of the virus, but HSV-1 can and does spread from the mouth to the genitals. Use suppressive antiviral medication such as valacyclovir , which prevents the herpes virus from replicating in the body and approximately halves the risk of transmitting the virus to others. Avoid performing oral sex on your partner. Make sure your partner understands that there is a risk of HSV-1 transmission through kissing, and that they may already be infected with oral herpes.

You may want to think about being tested for herpes together to each find out your status. Use condoms, dental dams and other forms of sexual protection to reduce your risk of spreading the virus. Avoid sexual activity during an outbreak. Our guide to having sex when you have herpes goes into more detail about how you can further reduce your transmission risk and maintain a normal sex life after learning that you have HSV-1 or HSV If you're infected with the virus or think you might be, it's always best to speak to your doctor about your options and testing.

Odds are, they'll prescribe an antiviral medication like valacyclovir , which makes HSV-1 and HSV-2 extremely simple to manage. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice.