HSV-2 Confirmation Question

[seekingconfirmation2023]

Hi Terri,

In February this year I made the stupid mistake of having unprotected sex with a sex worker while on vacation in Thailand. Four days after the incident I had a burning sensation while urinating and I instantly thought I had chlamydia or Gonorrhea and went to get an STD check. To my surprise the 14 panel STD urine test detected HSV-2 and nothing else. I couldn’t believe it as I didn’t have any sores or anything. I immediately went back to get another test and the doctor told me it could be a false positive as I had no visual symptoms and she swabbed my Urethra (stuck a swab inside). She also checked my lymph nodes and they were swollen. Swab test came back positive for HSV (without saying which kind between 1-2) and I was given valtrex for a few days. Burning sensation while urinating was gone after 2 days.

Once I got back to the states two weeks later, I still wanted reconfirmation as I didn’t fully rely on these tests. I went to my doctors office and I also got retested for (HIV & Syphilis) (Gonorrha & Chlamydia) all negative. However, the doctor said since there were no visual symptoms we couldn’t swab anything or reconfirm anything related to HSV-2. He checked my lymph nodes and one was still barely swollen. We agreed to get an antibody test at the 3 month mark.I was also prescribed valtrex to take daily (at my own request).

12.5 weeks have passed since the incident and I took the Herpes Selct IGG with RFX antibody test from labcorp yesterday that detected no antibodies for HSV-1 and an index of 1.84 for HSV-2.

My question is do you think I should take the western blot? or Do you think I should just accept that I have HSV-2. My doctor says that antibodies are positive and that’s it.

Considering that I have never had any visual symptoms and that if I did have an outbreak it was internal leaves me with some sort of what if..

[seekingconfirmation2023]

PS. I am a Male.

Also, Labcorp doesn’t have the confirmatory tests available at the moment.

[Terri Warren]

yes, I know labCorp doesn’t have the test right now.
The positive swab test from the urethra is definitely concerning, but you have quite a low positive on the IgG test 12 weeks out.

I think if I were you, I would do the blot just to be certain. You can work with your own provider to get that done or with me, both are fine. This is a lifelong infection and I think you want to be sure about the results.

TErri

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