Need some help

[Confounded1234]

Hi Terri,

So here’s my story…

Prior to my most recent partner my last sexual encounter was in July 2009 with someone I’d been dating for about six months. It’s been a long time but I know I took a full std panel within a few months of our last encounter either before or after. No reason really was still in school and at informary and decided to take them since I’d never before and it was free. Tests came back negative.

Most recent partner lived in another state and we had a relationship and unprotected sex starting in Aug 2014 and the last sex on 2/14/15. About twenty total encounters.

She recently contacted me to tell me she started showing symptoms around 6/12/15. She went in and took cultures and bloodwork on 6/17/15. Culture was positive but bloodwork negative.

She swears she didnt have sex with anyone between us breaking up and her outbreak, but she just recently has a new bf within 3 weeks of having an outbreak which seems suspicious for several reasons.

So I go and get tested even though I figured I’d come back clean since I’ve been asymptomatic. Maybe a few pimples on my thighs and area below belly button over the years but nothing resembling signs I’ve read about.

Went to Labcorp and got the following results:
HSV 1 IGg <0.91
HSV 2 IGg 2.13
HSV IGm <0.91

Questions:
-I’ve read low hsv 2 results below 3.5 can be false positives. Should I go get a western blot?
-How likely is it that I gave her this based on the facts and test results above if I did take it and came back positive? Since I dont remember when I took the full panel in 2009 I may have had it and tested too soon.
-How likely is it I got this from her if positive based on the same facts since her blood was negative after 123 days since our last encounter?

[Terri Warren]

So there are a couple of scenarios going on here.
First, your initial testing. Do you know for certain that it included herpes antibody testing? Often, STD screens do not include herpes testing. I don’t know if you have a way to check this or not.
Next, the previous girlfriend. If she has been with a new partner for 3 weeks (I assume they are having sex), and she has a positive swab test and a negative antibody test, that strongly suggests brand new infection. If you’ve not had sex with her since February, I doubt that that infection is from you.
The third thing is your antibody test results. Yes, 2.13 is considered positive but it is in the low positive range (1.1 to 3.5). Half of these positive test results are false positives. I would strongly suggest that you obtain a herpes western blot antibody test which can hopefully settle whether this is a true or false positive result. Our clinic can order that for you to be drawn at a lab near where you live.

Terri

[Confounded1234]

Thanks for the answers, Terri. As for yours…

1- Yes, I requested all stds be included with hsv being one of them, but not sure what they would have done back then so it could have been either an igg, igm or both like my most recent panel.
2- So you said it seemed likely that I didn’t give this to her, but is there some difinitive range of time between exposure and antibodies showing up? If so is that 123 day window of contact for us in that range? And on the flipside based on both our results if I do end up positive could she have given this to me?
3- I would like to get the western blot. How do we go about setting it up with Quest down in GA, how much does the whole proceess start to end cost, and would any be covered by insurance?

[Terri Warren]

1- Yes, I requested all stds be included with hsv being one of them, but not sure what they would have done back then so it could have been either an igg, igm or both like my most recent panel.

Well, I don’t know what to make of that really.

2- So you said it seemed likely that I didn’t give this to her, but is there some difinitive range of time between exposure and antibodies showing up? If so is that 123 day window of contact for us in that range? And on the flipside based on both our results if I do end up positive could she have given this to me?

Positive swab negative antibody test equals new infection. That’s like normally within the past couple of days or weeks or months, at a stretch.

3- I would like to get the western blot. How do we go about setting it up with Quest down in GA, how much does the whole proceess start to end cost, and would any be covered by insurance?

If you do the test through us, it is not covered by insurance. It is $250. If you do directly through UW, they may agree to bill your insurance, I just don’t know. That is the University of Washington.

Terri

[Confounded1234]

Terri,

Not sure I understand your response to the first question. I do plan to ask for my med records at the school to confirm everything, but not sure what their retention policy is. I’d rather wait until I take the WB though. Do I just call the number on the site Monday to set something up?

[Terri Warren]

Yes, if you want us to order you the test at a lab near where you live, just call on Monday to set up an appointment on Tuesday. Have you had sex with anyone since that last contact with the old partner in February? If yes, have they been tested? If you have a current partner (and I’m a little confused about that), and they have not been tested, then they should be because that could be a factor in understanding the western blot results.

This is your final post on this subscription. I think if we talk on Tuesday I can answer any remaining questions that you might have, but if you wish to renew, feel free.

Terri

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