GHSV1 yes or no: need to disclose?

[curtains]

Hi Terri, my current partner informed me that she caught GHSV1 over 4 years ago.

I thought I began showing symptoms of GHSV1;
w/c 3/1/22 painful rash on penis that has not gone away to this day.

10/1/22 First appointment doctor did not confirm visually herpes, instead ordered swab of the head of penis. The doctor also prescribed me some cream for a dry penis head as well as some precautionary anti virals.

These symptoms have persisted – with the rash reducing but then growing in size – never fully disappearing. Symptoms worsened in the next 10 days instead of improving despite anti vitals.

20/1/22 The swab came back negative. I attended the clinic for a second time. Doctor this time more confident on visual inspection that it wasn’t herpes.

24/1/22 I went away and order a blood test- it came back positive for HSV1.

Q1. Igg 1.73 – does this infer recent infection?

24/2/22 attended clinic for a third time to discuss continuing balanitis and other new symptoms – two flat marks on the penis shaft after handjob. My concern these are ulcers – however they were not blisters before hand, were painless, no raised edges, skin coloured, scabbed over in a day, scabs gone after 2 days. Doctors not convinced this was herpes – stated that she believes I do not have ghsv- and explained that blood test could be showing earlier oral exposure.

In sum:
Doctor visual diagnosis x 3= negative
Swab test = negative
Blood test = hsv1 positive

My main concern is what I would potentially have to disclose to any potential future partners.

Q2. Would you recommend stating I have GHSV1, I’ve tested positive for the cold sore virus, or nothing at all?

The experience has made me very anxious, to put it mildly.

[Terri Warren]

What was the index value on your positive HSV 1 antibody test and it was IgG or IgM? What lab did the test?
I seriously doubt that you acquired genital HSV 1 from someone who has had it for at least four years. You’ve never had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose?
If you disclose I would suggest that you simply say that you tested positive for the cold sore virus.

Terri

[curtains]

1.73 – it was Igg

No I’ve never had cold sores.

[Terri Warren]

Since this is a low positive, there is a possibility that this is a false positive. I would recommend that you confirm this result with a western blot if you want to know your true status for HSV 1.

Terri

[curtains]

Hi Terri,

I retook my Igg 4 times across July and September (6-8 months after exposure) and received negative results for all – all below 0.5.

I then took the UW Western Blot on August 31st, 8 months after potential exposure and received an indeterminate results for hsv1 and negative for hsv2.

How likely do you think it will be that this indeterminate results could turn positive given a retest in 3 months – is it worth doing so?

Should I be confident that I’m negative for HSV1 at this point and move on?

[curtains]

Would add that I was given precautionary antivirals 10 Jan 22, but have not taken them since. The one positive Igg test came after taking these antivirals. Retook the tests 6 months later and they are now negative , and WB indeterminate

[curtains]

Hi Terri,

Can you inform me whether a further purchase is required to receive a response

Thank you 😊

[Terri Warren]

I have never seen an indeterminate result become a positive one. I had one patient who had done a western blot (not through me) who had an indeterminate and then a positive blot. She asked me to have UW look at the blots again. They determined that the first one was a very close presentation but should probably have been called positive the first time around. That is the only case I have ever seen where it went from indeterminate to positive, but not really, as it turns out.

As you may know the western blot picks up 95% of HSV 1 infections and 99.9% of HSV 2 infections, so it does miss a few HSV 1 infections. Nothing is perfect here.

If I were you, I would probably believe that with a high degree of certainty, I didn’t have HSV 1 infection.

Terri

[curtains]

Hi Terri,

I did another WB a month after my indeterminate hsv1 result. This came back negative for both hsv1 and hsv2.

In terms of disclosing to future partners do I need to say that I have come into contact with GHSV1 in the past – or does the negative WB mean there is t a requirement?

[Terri Warren]

You can tell a partner that you’ve had the best test available for HSV 1 and 2 and are not infected.

Terri

[Author]

Posts