Sores, waiting on blood test

[WorriedandConcerned]

I recently had unprotected sex with someone who had been tested (as had I) before anything happened. Both came back negative for everything, asymptomatic, and not with anybody else in between the time of the testing and being together. About 3 days after, I started noticing sores with an itching and a burning kind of like razor burn. Now they are also on the interior lip. They look most like ulcers. I went to the doctor today and he said they appear to be herpes simplex and also ordered a blood test but after reading things online I see that he ordered an IgM for herpes 1&2 and am concerned that it will not be accurate. First of all, is it possible for me to have sores that appear like herpes but it be something else? Also, if my partner got tested 2 days after he thought he could be exposed (before we had sex) could that mean that his results weren’t accurate and he did in fact have herpes it just didn’t show up in the blood work? Should I go and order an IgM in a few months to get a confirmation?

Thanks

[Terri Warren]

What you need is a swab test, not a blood test. Was a swab test done? Are the sores still there? If yes, I really want you to go get these lesions swab tested for herpes today if possible. And when you do have it swab tested, you want to be absolutely certain that typing is included (HSV 1 or HSV 2) if it is positive. Perhaps that has already been done? Your description really concerns me that you may have new herpes. you didn’t mention it though. Yes, the IgM is an awful test, inaccurate, false positives, insensitive, the whole deal.

In terms of the testing: for accuracy, you need the IgG HSV 1 and 2 antibody test (the HSV 1 test isn’t great but HSV 2 test is better) and it should be drawn 4 months after the last sexual contact prior to testing.

Terri

[WorriedandConcerned]

I can get a swab test tomorrow. Unfortunately not today though. The other thing the doctor mentioned was that I could have mono as well. Since I had mono last summer I’m not sure but he said sometimes people have it twice with herpes. I haven’t had anything like this before so it would be new herpes. As long as the lesions are still there tomorrow a swab test can be taken correct?

[WorriedandConcerned]

And I believe he took cultures from the cervix but not a swab test.

[Terri Warren]

What? You mean he said the lesions could be mono? I’m not getting it. Have you taken antiviral therapy? If yes, it may impact the results of the swab test. When you do go in for swabbing tomorrow, please ask if they can run a PCR rather than a culture as it is four times more sensitive than culture. An ideal opportunity for an accurate diagnosis was missed here.

Terri

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