Confused about HSV2 IGg results

[NeedClarity]

I had unprotected sex w/someone in the Summer of 2020. The next day after unprotected sex, I felt an intense pressure in my stomach and had to rush to the bathroom immediately for a bowel movement. Then I noticed lots of discharge and itching. I decided to go to LabCorp for testing and ordered a full panel through requestatest.com. I took these tests maybe a week after this encounter (too soon). Everything came back negative except for Chlamydia and I was prescribed medicine.

A few months later, I went to obgyn for a Pap smear November 2020. My pap came back positive for high risk HPV.

After that diagnosis, I started to notice symptoms. I wasn’t sure if they were connected to HPV, depression and anxiety or something else.

Symptoms(not all at once) included:
-bump on finger that eventually went away and left a scar. It felt tender but I couldn’t place what happened or where it came from.
-elevated temperature, chills, and leg pain during my period in Jan 2021 (also dealing with extremely stressful family situation)
-Pins and needles all over body, top of head to feet (prescribed sertraline)
-ache in tonsil with a white spot
-soreness in both armpits with small bump in each not simultaneously

I decided to go back to the doctor in April 2021 and I requested a full STD screen (not realizing that herpes wasn’t included). Everything came back negative.

I started dating again (Dec 2021). We had unprotected sex Feb 2022.

Days later I noticed watery discharge, which turned into spotting. I also developed a fever for 1 night. Went to immediate care (March 2022)the next day and had my blood drawn and vagina swabbed. BV indeterminate and HSV2 IGG positive. The nurse didn’t know my index number and wouldn’t help me get it.

Went to OBGYN who did a follow up test 2 weeks later. HSV2 Igg came back positive 0.91 index. Vaginal swab came back normal.

Final questions- how would you interpret these results? What do you recommend my partner and I do next as far as testing?

[NeedClarity]

Forgot to mention that my last pap came back normal (no HPV). I have not had any sores or lesions from what I can tell.

[Terri Warren]

Normally, 0.91 is equivocal, not positive, and just barely equivocal. I think it is very unlikely that you have HSV 2. I’m not concerned about any of the symptoms that you’ve described above. The big question I would want to know is the HSV 2 status of this new partner. Do you know it? Are you having unprotected intercourse?

Terri

[NeedClarity]

Thanks for the quick reply!

After I received my first result at immediate care, he went to his doctor to get tested. He said that everything came back negative. We’ve had sex twice. The first time protected. The second time started protected and then was unprotected. He said that he regularly gets tested, but this was the first time he got a herpes test. He did not realize that it wasn’t a part of the full screen (like many ppl don’t unfortunately). He said that he would go back in April for a test. Our last encounter was end of February. He said that he hasn’t felt or noticed any changes with his body. I do trust what he’s saying. I told him what an index value is and he said he would discuss that with his doctor.

Do you think I should get tested again and when? How should my partner move forward?

[Terri Warren]

I don’t feel that you need to get tested again at this point. It is important to know how long ago your partner last had sex with anyone else. If it has been more than three months, his IgG test is likely very reliable for HSV 2. The same is true for your timing.

Terri

[NeedClarity]

I’m back and I have more questions (purchased follow up qs).

He told me that his last sexual encounter before me was Summer 2021. We had sex February 2022.

Since dealing with this situation, my anxiety has been really difficult to manage. Occasionally I feel a constant urge to pee and a shooting sensation in my vagina. Sometimes I feel numbness and tingling in my feet and a prickly feeling throughout my body. Since we had unprotected sex at the end of Feb 2022, I think I want to pursue the western blot at the end of May for peace of mind. It’s been about a month since we had sex and I have not had any sores still (that I can tell).

Are the symptoms I listed above, along with my recent equivocal result(0.91 index value mid March 2022), concerning? Would end of May be an appropriate time for the western blot (that would be about 3 months)?

The guy that I was dating stopped speaking to me recently so now I’m feeling more anxious and confused. Which is making me want to go ahead and retest in May.

[NeedClarity]

I also thought that I might have had irritation on my inner thigh this month but it didn’t look like ulcers or sores. I have sensitive skin and it looked like Folliculitis but not sure. A couple of tiny painless spots on inner thigh (slightly red) that went away on their own. I appreciate your responses during this time. I’m trying my best to manage all of this but it’s been hard. Especially since the doctors I’ve spoken to don’t really tell me much or it feels like they’re rushing me through the conversation.

[Terri Warren]

So please remember that 0.91 is not positive.
It’s fine to wait until May to be retested, but I really think it would be OK to do it now, given his sexual history and negative IgG test unless you have reason to doubt him.

Terri

[NeedClarity]

Thank you. I spoke to my obgyn again today and I will be getting another igg test tomorrow. If I need to follow up, I will reach out to schedule a western blot test.

[NeedClarity]

Hi Terri,

So I got my IGg result back and it was <0.90 index value.

I last had unprotected sex 2/22/22.

First test around March 3rd was “positive”. But the Nurse said she didn’t know what an index value was and wouldn’t help me get the number.

2nd test around March 15th was equivocal 0.91.

3rd Igg test on April 5th was <0.90.

Is it is safe to say I can move on and don’t need the Western Blot? What would be the cause for these peculiar results?

[Terri Warren]

You are out of questions.

Terri

[Terri Warren]

Sorry, you are out of questions.

Terri

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