Genital Herpes Simplex1 infection?

Last year, I would have sworn I was a textbook case for herpes, but a swab test (late in the healing process) resulted in "Not Herpes", so I was befuddled, but exceptionally thankful that I had not experienced a recurrence. Now a friend (with an unprotected sex partner in common) was diagnosed with an initial outbreak infection of Herpes Simplex 1 vaginally. Her experience was EXACTLY what I experienced and I've since read many clinics do not ordinarily test for HSV1 genital infections/samples collected late in the healing phase are somewhat less reliable anyway.

So, it seems likely that I too may have had a genital outbreak of HSV1.

Here's what I don't get though-I've gotten cold sores as long as a can remember. I've also been using my own saliva for lubrication for as long as I can remember. . . How/why would I have just now (after 15 years of masturbating!) experience an initial outbreak? It seems like I would have cross-contaminated myself years ago. . .

First of all, you cant cross contaminated yourself. Thats like saying making yellow, yellow.

Secondly, the test is unreliable in the healing phase because the virus lives on the nerve. So when you are in the healing phase the virus is in the nerve and not where the swab is getting samples from. So the swab might or might not pic up some of the virus.

Cold sores are caused by herpes so... Outbreaks can be caused by stressful situations or metabolic stress. Try to remember if your experience was preceded by stress

HSV1 is as you know, the cold sore. You can get that by kisssing someone who has HSV1. Even baby can get it from their parents if their parents has hsv1 and kiss them. the herpes virus is a type that stay dormant in your nerve cells until your immune system go down, and then they will come out and cause you to have an outbreak. HSV1 are often break out on the lips, not the genital areas. HSV2 are the one that cause genital herpes. and HSV1 does not tend to spread unless you are having an outbreak.



Now about your friend, she may have gotten it if someone with a HSV1 outbreak on the mouth kiss her privates part and spread the infection onto her, since HSV1 can live in both the genital and oral area.