Positive PCR Oral HSV2, Negative IgG

[prettylights808]

Last week I went in to my university’s health clinic for pink eye. The dr saw a single ulcer on the back of my throat and tested it with a swab (PCR test). The doctor said it didn’t seem like herpes since I wasn’t sick and there was only one ulcer. But she also suggested that if I did have it, that I got it a while ago (not my recent partner). But the results came back the next day as a positive for HSV-2 (orally). I’ve never had symptoms besides that one ulcer, and I didn’t even feel sick besides a sore throat (and pink eye).

This week I went in for a blood test (IgG). The value for HSV2 is .25, the value for HSV1 is .14.

I’ve been with the same girl for the past 2 months (who is a virgin). The most we’ve done is kiss and receive oral from her. I know getting oral hsv2 is extremely rare (especially by kissing), so I’m just confused how this test came back positive (considering I don’t often give oral). The last one-night stand I had (where I also gave oral) was about 3 months ago. So if I got it from that, wouldn’t my blood test indicate a higher value?

The girl I’m currently seeing went into the sexual wellness clinic at our school and told them about my results. The doctor said it’s highly unlikely that she has it and that I probably didn’t get it from her. She is going to get the blood test next week. Now, she has given oral to a lot of guys, so it’s possible that she may have oral hsv2. But then the chances of her spreading that to me to my oral region is extremely rare, right?

If I contracted genital hasv2, could it move in my body to oral hsv2?

I was prescribed acyclovir, should I continue taking that?

How often should I keep going in for blood tests in case I was recently infected and it was too soon for the blood test to detect?

I’ve talked to another student who was in the same situation. Their oral swab test came back positive over a year ago. Their IgG blood test from this week indicated a negative value for it.

Any idea what’s going on here?

[Terri Warren]

I don’t know specifically what is going on here. My suspicion is that the swab is mis-typed but certainly cannot know for sure at this point. Your sexual history as you describe it just does not seem reasonable for HSV 2 AND your antibody test is negative. Now it is possible that you tested for antibody too soon after infection, but if your partner is truly a virgin, then she doesn’t have HSV 2 right? I mean if she’s given oral sex to lots of people it is possible that you got HSV 2 orally but if she did, it would shed very infrequently so I would be totally surprised if she gave it to you orally through kissing. And no the virus does not go into your genital area and come out through the mouth, no. The person you gave oral sex to three months ago is a possibility. Do you know if she has been tested for HSV 2? Are you saying that another person you know has HSV 2 isolated from a swab and is still testing antibody negative? This is a weird situation

Terri

[prettylights808]

My biggest concern is if I have genital HSV2 in addition to Oral hsv2. I’ve read that it’s extremely rare to have only oral hsv2. I’ve never had symptoms that indicate genital hsv2. Is there a way to find out if I’m asymptomatic and potentially spreading the virus through my genitals?

What are the chances that this swab test was mistyped? Is it also possible that the lab had poor handling procedures and a previous test triggered mine?

If I can know for sure that I don’t have genital hsv2, then I would stop taking valcyclovir.

Also, I have no idea if the girl I hooked up with 3 months ago has been tested or not. Before we had sex I asked if she had any STD’s, and she said no, but I know that doesn’t mean much. I still have her number, but I’m kind of afraid to ask. Would it be worthwhile, and how would you suggest I bring it up if I should ask her?

And yeah, that other person I was talking to is an isolated event. She said a year ago, the pcr test swabbed from her oral region tested positive for hsv2. But even a year later, the blood test doesn’t indicate herpes for her.

My next response will be next week when my girlfriend gets her blood test results back.

I’m just extremely confused with all of this. I wish I had more answers to the unknown.

[Terri Warren]

I’m confused also about what is going on here. It seems so odd that two of you would have the same experience of having a positive HSV 2 oral swab, and then her not confirming by antibody test a year later. That definitely sounds like a mistyped swab to me. Did both samples go to the same lab?

I think you should contact the girl from three months ago and explain that you are not accusing her of anything but that you got this positive swab test and you thought she should know since you were sex partners she might want to get an IgG antibody test to find out her status. The way you present this to her will make a big difference in whether she agrees to test or not, I think.

Terri

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