Future State & Situational Question

[Traderjoes]

Hi Terri…Hope you’re well.

Quick synopsis here…

Was potentially exposed to HSV-1 & 2 at the end of August 2021…no symptoms of any kind after the fact. Ever.

I took a Western Blot (via your consultation) at the end of January 2022 and was negative for both HSV 1 & 2. This was after a Quest Diagnostics STD check came back with a HSV-2 “abnormal” score of 1.2, as well as a subsequent positive supplemental test.

From the research I’ve been doing, any number of things could trigger a false-positive response on that test, including the fact that I had mononucleosis a year ago.

Fast forward to present day….I recently saw a girl about 3 months ago who I didn’t know was positive for HSV 1. We kissed on the lips (no tongue,etc) maybe 3 times and she gave me unprotected oral sex; As of now (May 15th 20222, zero symptoms of any kind from myself and she also stated she’s never had any symptoms either, at any point in her life.

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My questions to you are as follows….

Do I need to get another Western Blot? Seems like overkill for a one time thing with one girl, but would value your opinion here. Again, no symptoms from either of us ever at any point in our lives.

Regarding new partners moving forward…

When I ask a future partner to get an STD check before we have sex, I’ll reciprocate and do the same; I’ll also defer to Quest Labs because its close and convenient. Presumably…the HSV-2 score will always come back as “abnormal” on the IGG, correct?

Thus, I’ll have to defer retroactively to my January 22 Western Blot test to tell them that I don’t have either HSV-1 or HSV-2, correct?

[Traderjoes]

Bumping this to make sure this doesn’t go unnoticed; Was posted at a time when the website was having issues.

[Terri Warren]

I personally don’t feel that another blot is necessary, no.
The Quest lab test, if the value falls between 1.1 and 3, gives a false positive 56% of the time – that’s unforgivable in my opinion. Yes, you would need to fall back on the results of your western blot.

Terri

[Traderjoes]

Thanks for reply; Hope you’re recovering well.

Just to confirm, the encounter with this last female represent a very (statistically) small likelihood of transmission from her to myself, correct? Seems as so, based on various sources I’ve read.

[Traderjoes]

Also pleased to state I took an STD panel and my IgG HSV-2 values have decreased; Knowing that, along with the negative blot, really has convinced it was all a false positive. That aside, no HSV-1 present either.

[Traderjoes]

Even though my HSV-2 score has gone down, quest is asking to take a “HSV 2 confirmation test” even though supplemental was positive, but january western blot was negative….What does their confirmatory test consist of? (Not going to take it regardless as I know I’m not infected, but curious)

[Terri Warren]

It is called an inhibition assay, and it is based on the flawed IgG test and I’ve seen false positives on that test as well. Your call. If you do it, let me know the result.

Terri

[Traderjoes]

Appreciate it…I’m not going to take the test, feel as if it’s pointless.

I think that the negative WBT in January, coupled with the fact my IgG HSV-2 score has decreased half a percentage point, truly has me convinced I don’t have HSV-2.

Would you agree?

[Traderjoes]

Following up here,

Curious to know, in your professional opinion…

1) If the fact I had a negative WBT in January (~6 months after initial exposure)

2) Along with a decreased IgG HSV-2 score (from 1.5 two months after exposure to now a 1.0 as of a week ago)

aligns with my thoughts that I truly do not have HSV-2.

Thanks Terri.

[Terri Warren]

Yes, I would agree that infection here is very unlikely. I would go with the western blot results of January.

Terri

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