HSV-2 partner tested low pos.

[tiger4u]

I had a one night stand with a guy and we performed unprotected oral sex with each other. Immediately after I regretted the encounter and insisted that both he and I get tested for STD panel. We both tested 4 days after the encounter. My full panel was negative but his had a Positive HSV 2, indicated a 1.17 (IgG) (his HSV1 was negative, less than 0.91). I have persuaded him to get the follow up Western Blot test but don’t know if he will. He seems to think that his recent bout of shingles may have skewed the test but from what I have read that is not true for the IgG test. He said he has never had any symptoms. I have read that it can take up to 16 weeks for it to incubate and show up as a positive on my test results.

Does that mean I should avoid all sex until 16 weeks have passed and follow up tests show I have no infection? If I perform oral sex on someone else during this period am I putting them at risk? Should I also be avoiding kissing deeply anyone until the 16 weeks have passed?

I just started seeing someone new that I think the relationship has the potential to be a great future. Should I call off that relationship until the full incubation period has passed with all negative testing for me? I really don’t want to start this relationship with a “hello I might have herpes”

[Terri Warren]

How old is your partner and do you know where his shingles showed up? Do you know if he has had shingles before? Do you have any idea about when his last sexual encounter with another person happened?

It’s difficult to answer the rest of your questions without knowing more about the questions that I asked. Shingles is not normally a problem of younger people, though it can happen. My concern is that sometimes clinicians mistake herpes for shingles and I’m trying to sort out if that might have happened here.

How long ago was the encounter with him that you describe?

It will not help me to get a western blot unless it has been 16 weeks since his last encounter with someone that has unknown test results. When was your last sexual encounter with anyone?

Terri

[tiger4u]

We are both in our 40’s. My partner had shingles only once in his life. On the back of his head January of last year, 2014, he took Valtrex for abut a week. His last partner before me was in late October early November of last year. My encounter with him was 1 week ago.

My last previous encounter was January 1st of 2015. That was in a monogamous relationship that lasted about 5 months, Prior to that I was in a monogamous relationship for 8 years.

[Terri Warren]

OK, so that sounds like it may really have been shingles.
It would be best if he waited 16 weeks from his last sexual encounter so that’s coming right up. There is an excellent chance that his ELISA test result is a false positive.
Has your partner of 5 months been tested? You really haven’t waited long enough from that encounter if you don’t know his results to have an accurate antibody test.

Terri

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