Yep. ... and also here's some stuff you can ponder.

Your individual risk is based on three variables. 1) The frequency and
volume of virus your gf sheds asymptomatically.  2) Your own body's
natural resistance to the virus, and 3) the frequency of your oral
sex..

Of the three, you can only know one variable for sure. The other two
are guesses. So no matter how we figure this, we may be wrong.

Anyhow, bad news first. Regarding the first variable, most times, a
newly infected individual sheds virus more often than someone who's
had it awhile. So your gf can assume more frequent shedding events
with higher volume now than later on down the road.(but that'll be
good news later on).

Next, there's no way of knowing ahead of time how resistant your body
is to the virus. Some people seem to pick it up fairly quickly while
others seem to be practically immune from the git go. But having no
antibodies at all doesn't seem to me to be a good thing.

Now the good news. For some reason, type 2 doesn't transfer to the
oral region very easily. At least not as easily as type 1 transfers to
the genital region, which is why type 2 oral is a fairly uncommon
condition (not saying it can't happen though). And here's more good
news. If it *does* happen, you'll probably never have symptoms. And if
you do, you can expect only one or two outbreaks and that's about it.
So usually, unless you're an extremely unusual case, type 2 *really*
isn't very bothersome orally.  In addition, you probably won't shed
asymptomatically very often either. More good news. The current theory
is, once your body builds up immunity to the virus, autoinnoculation
(transfering it to other parts of your body) becomes much less likely.
And using the same logic (and here's the best news), transfering it to
your genitals from your girlfriend's genitals becomes much less likely
as well.  At leastr, that's the theory. Your mileage may vary.

Anyhow, it's something to think about.  By the way, I'm no expert
..... and I've been wrong before. I'd like to hear some comment about
it from others in the group though. Good, bad, or indiffernt.

M2

Genital Herpes Type-2 tends to stay in the genital areas..

Even in the rare instances that people can contract Oral Herpes Type-2 once
they have their first oral flare up they probably will never get another one
again. That's what I've heard over the years from the herpes experts.

A great little handbook that you can read or print out for free online is
"The Updated Herpes Handbook" over on www.westoverheights.com Take a look at
that when you have some time.. you would be surprised how much information
is packed into that little booklet.

Hope this helps,

Angela :)

www.yoshi2me.com

No, while I still can't find my agéd results sheet that always was
right *here*, I recall that the HSV2 reading on the ol' type
specific test was higher than the HSV1 reading, with both in
positive territory.  And since the OBs were rather noiticeable (at
least by me) and fairly regularly occurring, I was always pretty
sure it was HSV2 "south".

The general view around here is that HSV 1 "south" is less apt to be
recurring and will very likely be very mild if it does recur.

Then there was the fact that my (now) ex-wife came down with HSV2
about five years before I got around to seriously considering that I
had it.  I believe hers was cultured.  In retrospect, after
confronting the unavoidable evidence, I realized that my long
standing "allergy" to laundry detergent was in reality a long term
relationship with my buddy HSV.  Most likely, HSV2.

And besides, I've always had trouble trying to figure how I'd act
differently if I only had HSV1 or only had it orally.  I would still
have "herpes", and would still inform my partners.  I don't know
what I'd do differently, except maybe not worry so much if I met a
woman who had it the same way I did.

Thanks for asking.  ;-)

Mike