Recent Exposure

[patient3333]

Hello,

I have a question about a recent exposure.. my partner recently found out that he was HSV 2 +, and we had protected intercourse starting about 6 weeks ago, with the last possible exposure being 17 days ago. I was tested iGM at 9 days with results reading inconclusive of .95 and then he iGG as negative.. if he had no visible outbreak, what is the chance of exposure?

I did have a yeast infection and a bacterial infection, which have both cleared. No visible sores or lesions. I am however, feeling almost a pain/burning sensation around my clitoris.. is this consistent with HSV? And I cannot tell if my groin area is now sore from me poking around looking for a swollen lymph node.

Thank you.

[Terri Warren]

Wait, I’m confused. He found out he was HSV 2 positive but his IgG is negative? How was he diagnosed then? A sore?
The IgM is not the test you want for yourself – you want the IgG type specific antibody test.
The symptoms that you describe do not necessarily sound like herpes to me, not really.

Terri

[patient3333]

I am sorry for the confusion, I was tested 10 days post last possible exposure and the iGG was negative. In your opinion, would you trust that the result was negative, being that first possible exposure was 6 weeks prior to the test and the last being only 10 days? If not, when is the earliest antibodies would appear?

I had both the iGM and the iGG. The iGM was .95 and the iGG was negative.

All times, a condom was used and there were no visible sores or anything indicating that he was having an outbreak.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by patient3333.

[Terri Warren]

No, 10 days is too soon. You need to time your testing from the last possible infection date, not the first.
How was your partner diagnosed with HSV 2?

Terri

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by Terri Warren.

[patient3333]

Hi Terri,

He was diagnosed by the HSV 2 iGG test results were 3.8… is that low enough to consider retesting, or would that be a solid result?

I am now 3.5 weeks since the last possible exposure and waiting is torture… can I retest now?

I am ready to put my mind to rest and know one way or the other because I can’t tell if I am imagining having symptoms or if its something really going on. Also, if you had swollen lymph nodes in the groin, would you have to firmly press to feel them, and would they be mid way down your leg? I keep feeling a sense of pain midthigh.

Thank you!

[Terri Warren]

3.8 is just over what we call low positive (the cut off there is 3.5). We’ve seen people with an index value of 4.8 not confirm in the past 6 months. Has he had symptoms consistent with genital herpes in the past? It is always OK to get a confirmatory test (the western blot) and the clinic can order that to be drawn at a location where he lives if he is interested in doing that.
No, 3.5 weeks is not long enough to wait. At 3 weeks post exposure, only 50% of those who are going to become positive, will be positive. At 6 weeks, 70%. You should wait 4 months for the most accurate result.

This was your final post on this subscription. If you have more questions, feel free to renew.

Terri

[patient3333]

Hi Terri,

If a person was having an initial outbreak of herpes would their fever be over 102 or is it more of a low grade fever?

[patient3333]

Also, I forgot to answer your question, no he has not had typical symptoms consistent with genital herpes in the past. This was a very surprising finding. The doctor told him that based upon the 3.8 value is was likely that this was an old infection.

How risky is a single, protected exposure with no visible symptoms?

[Terri Warren]

A person with new herpes could have that temperature, yes. But that could also be from other things as well, of course.
The 3.8 could represent an infection with the past month (not the past two weeks, though, I don’t think) or an infection of many years or there is a slight chance of a false positive.

A single protected exposure is very low risk indeed. Very low

Terri

[patient3333]

Hi Terri,

On Tuesday I noticed what I thought was a pimple on my outer most part of the labia, almost where your pelvic region and leg meet. I popped it and white puss Came out. However, that was on Tuesday and now it’s Sunday and the area still hurts. Do herpes usually appear as individual sores? Would you clearly be able to distinguish between the two? What are the characteristics that you should look for if it is herpes?

I have read some articles saying herpes has a red base and when I look at where the pimple or what I thought was a pimple it had a reddish darker area. Is that normal?

[Terri Warren]

I would not expect a new case of herpes to present as a single sore with pus in it, no. Usually new herpes lesions look like water blisters and yes, are often on a reddened base. Could this have been a little blood blister?

Terri

[patient3333]

Terri,

I don’t think it was a blood blister, as when I popped it white pus was the primary substance that came out and then a little blood.

The spot of where the pimple was is still there are it feels irritated a week later. It also looks like it has a little hole where the fluid came out. Is that consistent with a herpes sore at all?

When the pimple came up, it was roughly 5.5 weeks after the last possible exposure.

Thank you!

[Terri Warren]

Usually herpes sores don’t “pop” but without seeing it and swabbing it, there is just no way to know for sure what is going on here. Did a professional look at it when it was present? At 6 weeks post exposure, the result on the antibody test is 70% reliable. Sure wish I could be more help on the bump but really impossible to know for sure.

Terri

[patient3333]

Hi Terri,

My partner just went in to be retested for HSV 2 and his results are now 2.92. The first time he was tested it came back at 3.8. He also tested negative for HSV 1. I am just having a hard time accepting that he does have this being that he has not had any signs or symptoms of having the disease I also don’t want to be naïve and blinded with hope that this could be some flaw with the testing.

What are your thoughts on his values decreasing?

Would you recommend him retesting with the Western Blot, or do his values truly represent that he is positive?

It has been 9 weeks post last exposure for me now, should I wait till 12 weeks, or am I okay to test now?

Also, if you were to have cervical lesions, would you be able to tell without physically examining the cervix?

Thank you in advance!

[patient3333]

I forgot to mention that his most recent partner, prior to me, tested negative as well. That was a relationship of about 8-9 months of unprotected sex.

[Terri Warren]

At 2.92 he does need a western blot for confirmation. This is within the low positive range that the CDC now says should be confirmed. I would recommend that you wait to be tested until at least 12 weeks minimum. If you were to have cervical lesions, someone doing an exam could fine them on the cervix, yes.
But it would take someone looking at the cervix directly to know.
The fact that his previous partner tests negative is a good but not definitive sign in terms of him being infected.

Terri

[patient3333]

How do we order the test?

Is there any significance in his values decreasing from 3.8 to 2.92?

How many people will test positive at 1.5 weeks, if 50% of people test positive at 3 weeks?

[Terri Warren]

We don’t have the statistic about how many people test positive at 1.5 weeks.
His value decreasing to 2.92 may have meaning or perhaps no meaning at all.
The western blot can be ordered either directly from the University of Washington or our clinic can order it to be drawn at a lab near you and shipped to the University of Washington. Both work!

Terri

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