test results and exposure timing

[feelinganxious100]

21 days ago I had sexual contact with a guy who is HSV2 positive. I thought I was careful, but now I’m worried. We masturbated each other, and I sat on his stomach without underwear. Soon after I grew worried about potential exposure, especially since his eye looked infected (maybe ocular herpes – like maybe that got on his hand and then he fingered me). On day 12 after the potential exposure, I got a igg test at labcorp. My results were are follows:

HSV 1 – 62.20 (this is no surprise because I’ve had infrequent cold sores for about 15 years)
HSV 2 – 9.99 (I’ve never had symptoms)

My question is this: Does a HSV 2 level of 9.99 seem more consistent with an existing infection than an infection acquired 12 days earlier? I really want to get your opinion on this because if this is just an old infection that has been asyptomatic that seems to be a lot easier to deal with mentally than coming to terms with getting herpes just now, when I wasn’t being careful enough, and now having the stress of waiting for potentially horrible outbreaks.

Thanks for this great resource!

[Terri Warren]

This very much looks to me like an old infection, not a new one. The value is really high for something brand new PLUS the exposure is not consistent with transmission. I don’t think you need to worry about potentially horrible outbreaks. I would bet lots of money that you’ve had herpes a while and have either had outbreaks that you didn’t notice or you attributed the symptoms of herpes to some other condition, like a yeast infection or a bladder infection or friction burns or bug bites. Can you think of anything, looking back?

Terri

[feelinganxious100]

actually, many years ago I went through a period when I had horrible yeast infections like every other month. and I also have gotten what looked like friction burns, but not often. I’ve always had them checked out, but was always sent on my way with just some topical cream. i do have some redness now, and what looks like a small friction burn. (1) can having the sexual contact I described in my original post bring about an outbreak from an old infection and (2) if we are both have hsv2 and hsv 1 (and assuming that we are free of other diseases and enter an exclusive relationship), can we have oral, vaginal, anal sex without causing more outbreaks (i.e. no risk of aggravating or further spreading the outbreaks to other parts of my body or his body)?

thx!!!

[Terri Warren]

1) Yes, sometimes sex can be a trigger for outbreaks, in some people
2) If you are both infected with HSV 2, you can sex as you wish without worrying about transferring the virus between you. Each of your immune system’s will handle this in your own way. It will not spread to other parts of your body. Whether that sex and the friction associated with sex will be a trigger for outbreaks for either of you remains to be seen.

Terri

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