New infection or carrier

[KBM14]

Hi Terri,
For the last 4 years I have been adding on the HSV panel to my STD checks.always positive for HSV1 8.0 IGG. Always negative for HSV2 at .20 IGG. Right before I met my BF of 6.5 mnts I was negative. That was 4 months after I had one encounter. Mostly covered but not completely cause of the rubbing. In March I got my annual exam and again tested negative. All IGG . The only difference was my HSV1 IGG value shot up from the normal 8.0 to 37.- Dr said that was nothing. 6 days later we have protected sex (using condoms again because I had BV in February) and he did oral too. Few days later he got a cold sore (he’s been getting since child hood) 5 days from our romp I got the itch. The next day the burn then next day a small cluster. Like dime size. Next day saw a gyn. She agreed it looked like H although already almost gone. Just tender and scabbish.. she started me on 1G of valtrex 2x a day for 10 days. swab came back positive for H2!!! I was certain it would be 1!! Exactly 2 weeks after negative blood. The following week I saw my own dr cuz she was back from vaca and she drew blood again (said the valtrex shouldn’t interfere with the result) the next day I got the results positive at 6.63. She said some people will have a quick immune response and get their antibodies quickly and others can take a few months. She also said this is definitely a new infection and not from my past partners. My BF hasn’t done his blood yet. He actually just had his physical too and they did everything except H :/ So the questions:

1.1. I’ve read that some people can test negative over and over again. Do you think I could have been carrying this 10 months with two negative tests (or longer)and only got the antibodies because of the OB or does it seem like my BF is just a carrier?

2. If he IS a asymptotic carrier will he test positive? I’m scared that he will be negative like that 2% that never test positive.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by KBM14. Reason: Miscalculation

[Terri Warren]

An index value of 6.63 does not indicate brand new infection. The soonest I have seen someone seroconvert from negative to positive is 10 days and the index value was 1.1 with a positive swab test a week earlier. How long after the outbreak did you get the blood test done?

My guess is that this is from this partner but only his test will tell. If he is asymptomatic he will still test positive if he is infected with HSV 2.

And the Igg test misses 8%, not 2%, compared to the western blot that is 99.9 sensitive

Terri

[KBM14]

Hi Terri,

I was negative by IGG then 12 days later the itch/ symptoms started (very mild OB)then 12 days after the onset I re-tested positive. (I was negative a week before I met him too)

I know it is what it is and if I got it from my BF then it was indeed an accident and at least he loves me. My biggest concern was could I have acquired it 10.5 months prior to now and tested negative twice just making me the carrier?

I’ll just add not sure if it ties in at all but I’ve had BV twice with this partner and never had it before in my life.

I think that’s my 3, right? I’ll renew if i have any follow up. Thank you for what you do.. it’s very much appreciated.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by KBM14.

[KBM14]

Just thought of something to add. During my last bout of BV (end of Feb) I had a reddish, kinda sore bump in that area. I thought maybe the hair growing back so I plucked it and tried to squeeze it and only clear, oiliness came out. It hurt for a week and I thought maybe I infected it from squeezing cuz a little above where the leg means the pubic area it felt sore for a couple of days. I did initially think (node pain?) roughly two weeks later in the same spot just above that spot I had one big bubbled pimple and I popped it and puss came out. Little scab. Gyno didn’t say anything during my annual 2 days later and that’s when i had a negative IGG. 12 days later is when the real deal happened. I just think now it’s weird that these two prior “pimples/cyst” were in that exact area. I wax regularly and have had ingrowns or pimples when hair starts to regrow. Not sure if it’s unrelated. Thanks for reading, Terri.

Do you offer phone consults?

[Terri Warren]

This is very complicated. It can take up to 12 weeks for antibody to be made so I think anything is possible here. Let’s see what happens with your partner testing. It is possible that a previous IgG test missed your HSV 2 infection – IgG tests in general misses 8% of HSV 2 infections. This is all puzzling

Terri

[KBM14]

Oh man, Terri… I never do anything the easy way!

I get that it can miss “A” IGG test, but two in a row…? 10 months later with no symptoms up until the OB?

I remember in late December around new years noticing a little scab of some sort on his upper thigh. And I remember thinking that better not be H. My next text was 12 weeks later. Ive read your post that said a prior HSV1 infection could delay the seroconversion by a few weeks. Maybe if I waited a few more weeks it would have been positive bringing us to 15 weeks. Who knows. I have been having unprotected intercourse almost the whole time 6.5 months

He needs his blood. He’s not rushing because of work and said there are far bigger things in life to worry about than this and it wouldn’t change how he felt about me. I’m just going nuts wondering and hoping he was my giver. I never had symptoms before him. I will follow up after his results. Hopefully next week at his follow up for a separate issue.

Thanks for your time. 🙂

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by KBM14.

[KBM14]

I also read what you posted earlier about those High false positives; i know mine is truly positive because of the swab, but perhaps my high value was a bit off on mine. Just a thought..

[Terri Warren]

I think it is less likely that your test missed your HSV 2 infection because you eventually did seroconvert fully.

It wouldn’t change how he felt about you? You mean if he is negative? That’s less likely I think.

This is your final post on this subscription.

Terri

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