One Kiss Was All It Took

[simon43]

I was tempted to post this in the Health section, but I think it will get a better airing in Farang Pub. It's something that could happen to most of us, so please do read.

A few weeks ago I stopped off at a local bar for a drink and chat. There was a Thai girl in this bar who caught my eye. You could say that she caught my heart. We chatted together and soon one thing led to another!

I noticed that she had a small cold sore on her lip, and she explained that she had been eating some very hot SomTam. Ever the romantic type, I kissed her gently on the lips.

Like many healthy adults, we then engaged in all manner of horizontal exercizes that I will not detail here. But suffice to say, I used a condom etc.

Anyway, a few days later, I awoke with my mouth on fire. I had a green, furry tongue and my tongue and lips were covered with ulcers

Oh my god!!!!! What have I caught?? I went straight down to the local hospital and underwent some rapid tests. The result? I had contracted Herpes Simplex from this girl. And my sexual exercise was not to blame at all! It was that one, romantic kiss that had passed the infection.

Now Herpes Simplex is not a killer, and millions of people 'suffer' with these recurring cold sores on the lips. But it is an un-necessary hassle with which I must deal with in the future.

I spoke at length with this girl (who was hugely upset about the whole incident). She had heard of Herpes, but did not correlate it to her cold sore. She underwent regular HIV and STD testing each month, but her employers never seemed to consider the risk of oral Herpes.

She also told me that she had suffered from recurring cold sores for 3 years, which was way before she ever worked in a bar. We concluded that she had been infected by her previous husband.

She also told me that her sister, (who also works the bars), suffers from cold sores, so I'm sure she too, carries Herpes Simplex.

And I'm probably sure that MANY girls (and guys and mothers, fathers and children throughout the world), also carry this virus, but are unaware of it.

Right now, I'm nursing a sore mouth, and I don't regret that I kissed her (In hindsight, had I been more aware of oral Herpes, then I would have questioned her about the cold sore).

So this is really just a warning to everyone. Many people are not aware that they carry this virus. Once you have it in your body, you cannot eliminate it. It's not a life-threatening issue, but just aggravation to deal with in the future).

So, before you kiss your girlfriend/boyfriend/pet dog, do quickly check if they have any cold sores. These may well indicate a Herpes Simplex infection.

As for that girl and me, I'm waiting for my sore mouth to recover. Then we will be kissing again, but carefully

[Totster]

Simon43 - I thought you had a missus...?

Som Nom Naaaa ?

totster

[davethailand]

Simon43 - I thought you had a missus...?

Som Nom Naaaa  ? 

totster 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[meom]

Simon43 - I thought you had a missus...?

Som Nom Naaaa  ? 

totster 

She's probably looking for ice. To put in his mouth after she kicks his teeth in.

[simon43]

Yes, I do have a Missus! (Er well, I have a 'real' wife in England, and I have my Thai 'wife' who lives with me, and there is that Mia Lap whose university fees I pay, and then there is this SomTam girl....)

OK, I admit it. I'm just a sad git suffering from a mid-life crisis!!!! Are you happy now??

[meom]

Yes, I do have a Missus!  (Er well, I have a 'real' wife in England, and I have my Thai 'wife' who lives with me, and there is that Mia Lap whose university fees I pay, and then there is this SomTam girl....)

OK, I admit it.  I'm just a sad git suffering from a mid-life crisis!!!!  Are you happy now?? 

Better you than me. The cold sore you describe seems more like the one that doesn't go away anymore but will flare-up a couple times a year.

Hope she was at least good in the sack

[simon43]

Well, what's done is done, which is why I've posted here. But to be honest, this could happen to many people. Perhaps they don't even correlate the mouth sores with the passing of this virus, so are not even aware that they are infected. And so it goes on ....

And she was AWSOME in bed!!! (Sorry to Mods if this is risking a banning!)

[Jockstar]

Yes, I do have a Missus!  (Er well, I have a 'real' wife in England, and I have my Thai 'wife' who lives with me, and there is that Mia Lap whose university fees I pay, and then there is this SomTam girl....)

OK, I admit it.  I'm just a sad git suffering from a mid-life crisis!!!!  Are you happy now?? 

Beside the Uk missus. Wont these others start to ask questions? Your on a slippery slope. If the Thai wife finds or even suspects. Then i think your coldsore/herpes is the least of your worries.

John Bobbit springs to mind!

[davethailand]

Yes, I do have a Missus!  (Er well, I have a 'real' wife in England, and I have my Thai 'wife' who lives with me, and there is that Mia Lap whose university fees I pay, and then there is this SomTam girl....)

OK, I admit it.  I'm just a sad git suffering from a mid-life crisis!!!!  Are you happy now?? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, We're not finished with you yet

[Totster]

Well, what's done is done, which is why I've posted here. But to be honest, this could happen to many people. Perhaps they don't even correlate the mouth sores with the passing of this virus, so are not even aware that they are infected.  And so it goes on ....

And she was AWSOME in bed!!! (Sorry to Mods if this is risking a banning!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well... I hope you don't pass it on to your Thai "wife"...

totster

[withnail]

Correct me someone if I'm wrong but just because the herpes simplex is always present in your body I don't think this necessarily means that you will definately get cold sores regularly or even ever again.

[davethailand]

Yes thats true, things like stress etc bring them on.

(and putting your lips on dirty things)

[Totster]

Yes thats true, things like stress etc bring them on.

(and putting your lips on dirty things)  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[withnail]

dirty things like simon43?

[davethailand]

A moment of weakness for the poor girl

At least he won't need to buy any cornflakes

(only joking simon )

[withnail]

cornflakes, like it

[Totster]

Well ... with all them sores he's gonna get, I hope he doesn't end up looking looking like Father Jack (see davethailand's avatar).

totster

[meom]

Stop drinking draught as well when Simon's around.

[davethailand]

Well ... with all them sores he's gonna get, I hope he doesn't end up looking looking like Father Jack (see davethailand's avatar).

totster 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or the singing detective.

[daveh]

Not sure what the stats are for Thailand, but in the States 80% of the population carries this virus. But only 1/3 of the people with the virus ever have symptoms from it. Most people in the States get it when they are children, from drinking out of the same bottle and such.

There are two forms, HS1, and HS2. I can't remember which is which, but one is typically referred to as Oral Herpes, and the other as Genital Herpes. But don't be fooled by the names, HS1 can transfer to the genital region, and HS2 can be transfered to the mouth. So if she went south with the mouth, you should be prepared for more unpleasantness. And in the future, if you have an outbreak, you should not kiss or perform oral on a woman.

I had a similar experience as you once. I walked into a go go and a girl grabbed me and kissed me. It happened so fast and the lighting was so dim, I didn't see she had a cold sore. When she pulled back, I saw it. But I knew it was Herpes, so I ran into the bathroom and washed my lips like there was not tomorrow. I guess I was lucky because nothing ever appeared. But statistically speaking, there is a greater than 50% chance that I'm an asymtomatic carrier.

[meemiathai]

Is that considered an STD then?

I had it since I was a kid. No big deal.

[cojones]

Growing Evidence that Genital Herpes Facilitate HIV Transmission

After the emergence of HIV eclipsed concerns about genital herpes, public health officials are "once more sounding the alarm" about the rapid spread of the herpes simplex virus, The New York Times reported last week.

Cases of herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), which accounts for most cases of genital herpes, have risen by 30% since the 1970s, with more than 20% of American adolescents and adults infected with the virus. Between 80% and 90% of people carrying the virus are not aware of it, as many never develop genital lesions associated with the infection. Because genital herpes can be transmitted even in the absence of overt symptoms, public health officials are concerned that the infection rate could "surge well past 30%" if prevention measures are not taken.

In addition, there is growing evidence that genital herpes can facilitate HIV transmission. Dr. Hunter Handsfield, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the director of the STD program for Seattle's King County department of health, said, "The HIV-infected person with genital herpes is almost certainly more infectious, even if they're asymptomatic, and it's also true that someone with genital herpes who is exposed to HIV is more likely to get it."

Officials Disagree on Preventive Measures

While blood tests that diagnose HSV-2 infections are widely available, health care professionals "disagree over their use." Most agree that high-risk pregnant women should be tested, as the virus can be fatal to newborns "in the rare instances when it is passed on during birth." However, among adults in general, genital herpes "can be far less serious, leading some officials to wonder if it is worthwhile to institute widespread testing and counseling." Many doctors are now recommending "suppressive therapy," which involves daily, long term use of an antiviral drug to "prevent outbreaks and reduce the likelihood of transmission." The CDC is developing guidelines on "how best to address" the spread of the virus through testing and other means.

*****************

i hope that you didnt get anything else from this girl

[cojones]

HSV-2 Significantly Increases Risk of HIV Infection

By Deborah Mitchell

There is a strong link between herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) infection and increased risk of HIV infection, according to the results of two studies reported on 7/08/02 at the XIV International AIDS Conference.

"HSV-2 infection is the silent enemy in the HIV epidemic," Dr. Steven J. Reynolds of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore told conference participants on Monday. Although a number of studies have identified genital ulcer disease as a major risk factor for HIV infection, few have looked at the impact of acute HSV-2 infection on HIV acquisition, he explained.

In his study, Dr. Reynolds, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues at the National AIDS Research Institute in Pune, India, looked at the effect of incident HSV-2 infection as a risk factor for HIV transmission.

The retrospective cohort included 2732 HIV-seronegative patients attending one of three sexually transmitted disease clinics in Pune between 1993 and 2000. At baseline, 1175 (43%) were HSV-2-infected.

Dr. Reynolds group found that the subsequent incidence of HIV infection was 5.8 per 100 person-years. After adjusting for known HIV risk factors, the relative risk of HIV infection associated with chronic HSV-2 infection was 1.69. The RR of HIV infection associated with remote primary HSV-2 infection was 1.81.

"Recent HSV-2 infection was independently associated with a 3.64-fold increased risk of primary HIV infection" (p<0.001), the investigators report.

In a second study, researchers led by Dr. A. Kamali of the Medical Research Council, Entebbe, Uganda, also observed a strong association between HSV-2 infection and HIV risk.

Dr. Kamali's group evaluated approximately 20,000 adults enrolled in a community-randomized trial in Uganda that aimed to improve rates of STDs and behavioral factors to reduce HIV transmission rates.

Overall, the researchers found that HSV-2 prevalence was significantly higher among HIV-positive patients (80%) than among HIV-negative patients (23%). The incidence of HSV-2 per 100 person-years was also significantly higher among HIV-positive (15.7) than among HIV-negative (3.0) patients (p<0.001 for both measures).

Based on these findings, "I think there is a need for HSV-2 treatment to reduce the incidence of HIV" in this population, Dr. Kamali concluded.

The HSV-2 prevalence is high in developing countries, "but among certain groups in the US it's very high as well," Dr. Reynolds told Reuters Health. Although the overall HSV-2 prevalence in the US is about 20%, the prevalence in the gay/bisexual community is comparable to that in developing countries. "And most people with HSV-2 don't know their serostatus," he added.

"There is an interaction between the two viruses," Dr. Reynolds continued. "And it's a complex interaction, with many factors involved."

Some studies have shown that "in recurrent herpes, there's an influx of CD4 cells...that may facilitate HIV infection," he said. "And in cells that are infected with both viruses, the replication of HIV is much more rapid. So that may also affect the ability of HIV acquisition."

"If we could get an [HSV-2] vaccine that was effective and target it at a high-risk population, we may have an impact on HIV rates," said Dr. Reynolds. But so far, "there hasn't been a vaccine yet that's been shown to be effective." To reduce HIV transmission, an HSV vaccine would have to be at least 80% effective, he added.

However, there is an ongoing trial in which subjects are receiving herpes simplex treatment with acyclovir in an effort to reduce the rates of HIV transmission.

07/10/02

[Narachon]

We're all doomed then.....

[IamMaiC]

Yes, I do have a Missus!  (Er well, I have a 'real' wife in England, and I have my Thai 'wife' who lives with me, and there is that Mia Lap whose university fees I pay, and then there is this SomTam girl....)

OK, I admit it.  I'm just a sad git suffering from a mid-life crisis!!!!  Are you happy now?? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Beside the Uk missus. Wont these others start to ask questions? Your on a slippery slope. If the Thai wife finds or even suspects. Then i think your coldsore/herpes is the least of your worries.

John Bobbit springs to mind!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Even my Lovely wife told me if she caught me with someone else, I would be losing something. Your a brave man Simon43 Chok dee

[RDN]

... i think your coldsore/herpes is the least of your worries.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had cold sores when I was a kid. Apparently you get it by being kissed by too many affectionate aunts

So I went to the doctor and he said I had Hermes.

I said "Don't you mean Herpes?"

He said "No, you're a carrier"

Groan

[udon]

... i think your coldsore/herpes is the least of your worries.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had cold sores when I was a kid. Apparently you get it by being kissed by too many affectionate aunts

So I went to the doctor and he said I had Hermes.

I said "Don't you mean Herpes?"

He said "No, you're a carrier"

Groan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good one RDN

I guess I have a part of the Hermes in my razor now, she was sold to the Indians in 1987. I'll have to be careful!

[Dickie]

I think I read that having oral herpes confers a level of protection against genital herpes.

[JimmyGreaves]

So herpes simplex can only be transferred via cold sores?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Correct me someone if I'm wrong but just because the herpes simplex is always present in your body I don't think this necessarily means that you will definately get cold sores regularly or even ever again.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is an unresponsive virus.