A member asked:

My friend has herpes and i kissed him last night but it was only for about two seconds could i get herpes?

7 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Yes: Herpes is transmitted by direct contact. Most people think it's only contagious with active lesions or symptoms such as blisters or sores but studies have shown there are a percentage of people who shed the virus even without symptoms and therefore are contagious. Once a person has herpes, they are always a carrier and potentially can always infect another person, with or without symptoms.

Answered 9/30/2017

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Possibly...: To some extent this depends on your own immune status. If you have ever had a cold sore (aka fever blister) you may already have antibodies to type 1 herpes simplex virus (hsv) that would protect you against a new infection. Toddlers and small children can also get a hsv-1 infection of the lips and oral cavity that again will usually produce protective antibodies.

Answered 5/16/2016

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