Can You Get Herpes From Sharing a Drink?

Herpes is very common. In fact, oral herpes affects more than half of the people in the U.S. So, it’s normal to worry about getting herpes in your day-to-day life. A common concern is that herpes can be spread when you share drinks or utensils with someone — especially if they have an active cold sore. So let’s dive into the facts about how herpes spreads, and if sharing a drink puts you at risk.

What is herpes?

Herpes is a virus that causes painful blisters and sores. The infection affects two main areas of the body, including your:

• Mouth: Oral herpes occurs when the sores appear in or around your mouth, often on your lips. These are also sometimes called “cold sores” or “fever blisters.” 

• Genitals: Genital herpes occurs when the sores appear in or around the penis, vagina, or anus.

There are actually two different types of herpes simplex viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Both types of these viruses can cause oral or genital herpes.

More often, HSV-1 causes oral herpes, but this isn’t always the case. HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes, and HSV-2 can cause oral herpes.

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• How long are cold sores contagious? The blisters associated with an active outbreak are contagious for about 2 to 3 weeks.

• What if your partner has genital herpes? Genital herpes can also be transmitted to the mouth, and vice versa. 

• Are there medication creams for cold sores? There are both over-the-counter and prescription creams for oral herpes. And pills are available, too.

Does herpes spread through saliva?

Yes, oral herpes can spread through saliva. Let’s quickly take a deeper look at the ways herpes can spread:

• Direct contact with herpes sores: The fluid from the sore contains the herpesvirus, and it can easily be passed to another person through direct contact. For example, herpes can spread by kissing someone with a sore on their mouth (this includes non-sexual kissing). It can also spread by touching a herpes sore with another part of your skin, such as your hand. If you touch a sore and then your mouth, you can get oral herpes this way.

• Through contact with a contaminated object: The herpes virus can also survive on items recently touched by someone with herpes, like a straw or cup. If saliva is left on the object, another person can pick up the virus by touching it.

And blisters don’t always have to be present for herpes to spread. 

Can you get herpes from someone who doesn’t have blisters?

Yes, people can spread herpes even if they don’t have symptoms. This is known as “asymptomatic shedding.” This means that the virus is making copies of itself (replication) in your body even though no blisters are present. During these “shedding” periods, the virus can still be found in bodily fluids like tears and saliva.

For example, one study found that 98% of asymptomatic people with oral herpes shed the virus in their tears and saliva at least once over a 30-day period. (More virus was present in saliva than in tears.) Another review found that more than half the population sheds the herpesvirus at least once monthly from their mouth — sometimes more often than that.

When is herpes most contagious?

Herpes is most contagious when blisters or sores are present, since they contain the virus inside them. 

Herpes can survive in saliva for up to 2 hours — maybe even longer. On the skin, herpes can live up to 2 hours. With this in mind, here’s a list of how herpes can spread — from most contagious to least contagious:

• Most contagious: Oral or skin contact directly with a blister or sore

• Moderately contagious: Oral or skin contact without active sores

• Least contagious: Sharing personal items that have saliva on them, like drinks 

Can you transmit herpes through drink sharing?

Yes, it’s technically possible to transmit herpes through drink sharing. 

In one small study, the virus survived for up to 4 hours on plastic. Another study found that the virus could survive for up to 24 hours on surfaces like stainless steel, glass, and aluminum. A third study showed that herpes lived up to 2 hours on plastic door knobs and sink handles covered in chrome. But the levels of the virus dropped significantly between 30 and 60 minutes after being contaminated.

So, there’s a chance that if you share a drink with someone who has herpes within a few hours, you might also get it. But the chance is probably low, since levels of the virus likely start declining after 30 minutes or so.

Can herpes survive in the drink liquid itself?

Not much research has been done on whether herpes can survive in the liquid of a drink itself. 

One study found that herpes survived for up to 4 hours in tap water and up to 24 hours in distilled water. In soft drinks like Coca-Cola, the herpesvirus died almost instantly. Researchers believe this is related to the level of acid in the drink liquid. The more acid in a drink, the less likely the herpesvirus is to survive.

Herpes prevention tips

The only way to be sure that you aren’t at risk of getting or spreading herpes is to avoid sharing drinks with someone who has cold sores (or a history of them). 

And there are other steps that you can take to prevent getting herpes and spreading it. For example:

• Avoid kissing people with cold sores.

• Avoid having oral sex with someone who has cold sores.

• Don’t touch your herpes sore if you have one.

• Wash your hands with soap and water right after touching your cold sore.

If you have herpes, you may also want to talk to your healthcare professional about medication options that can help decrease the chances that you spread herpes. There are antiviral medicines available that can shorten how long outbreaks last and decrease how many outbreaks you have. 

Topical creams that may reduce symptoms can be found in most pharmacies, too. And other approaches like red light therapy are starting to show promise when it comes to healing cold sores and preventing them from coming back.

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Written by:

Cherilyn Davis, MD

Cherilyn Davis, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician in New York City. She has held local and national roles at the American Medical Women’s Association including board member of the physician division and physician chair of social media.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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