Tested Too Soon?

[cjmgcjmg]

I recently had a new partner and we were both having unprotected sex with each other daily for about a month.
She had had sexual contact, rubbing genitals etc. but no penetration with someone else prior to me.
Once a couple of days before we started having sexual relations and a few times before that.
I had always tested negative including an HSV non specific test a year.

Our first encounter was on 6/21.
She started having symptoms around 7/15-7/16, her vagina was irritated and sore and penetration would hurt.
7/17-7/18 we had only oral sex no penetration, last sexual contact. She was starting to feel sick with flu like symptoms. She didn’t have any of the tingling sensations that are associated with prodrome.
7/19-7/20 she said she had blisters develop all around the genital area including the anus. She also had a fever and sore muscles.
7/22 the doctor visually “confirms” herpes. This doctor had only ordered the IGM, but upon my research I urged her to call the doctor and order the IGG specifically.
7/23 We both get tested.

My current results are HSV-2 <0.43, and HSV-1 1.1
I think these results show I have no prior exposure

Both her HSV 2 and HSV 1 results came back negative.
Based on those results we can assume she’s had no prior exposure

We both think it was her previous partner who could be infected.
I have had no symptoms.
She was tested only 5 1/2 to 6 weeks after exposure, was this too soon have built up any antibodies despite having a fever and blisters?

[Terri Warren]

Looking at this scenario, I’m wondering you might have HSV 1 (your test is a low positive but the screening test isn’t great for HSV 1 as it is) and you transmitted HSV 1 to her genitals through oral sex? This can happen even if there is no cold sore present. So no swab testing was done at all of her lesions? That is amazing.

Did she take antiviral medicine? If yes OR no, it may have been too early to pick up an HSV 1 infection plus as I mentioned the screening test isn’t very good – misses 25% compared to western blot.

Terri

[cjmgcjmg]

No swab testing was done even though she had lesions. The doctor wasn’t even going to look at her, but finally did once she urged the doctor to look. I was very surprised by this as well. She saw the doctor on Wednesday but the lesions started on Sunday so that might have been too late.

Yes she took antiviral medicine the day before the test and the day after the test.

I did have something that I thought was a cold sore on lip in the March/April. I normally don’t suffer from cold sores. But i remember having what I thought was a pimple right above my lip.

I could have given it to her?
Do you recommend we do the Western Blot to be absolutely sure, once we reach the 12 mark week?

Thank you so much for all of your advice.

[Terri Warren]

What a shame that no swab testing was done. It may be hard to sort out exactly what is going on here without it. Your HSV 1 index value of 1.1 is technically positive. Are you sure it doesn’t show >1.1? I would recommend that she have testing redone 16 weeks out to try to make sense of this. If it is still negative, she may want to consider the western bot as it is more sensitive for HSV 1 and that might be what is going on here. Did she have IgG testing, do you know?

Terri

[cjmgcjmg]

She had an IGG and both her values were very very low.
No it doesn’t show greater than >1.1.
The doctor gave said 1 or 1.01 I can’t recall exactly is there a big difference between 1.01 and 1.1?
I’m going to get the exact result from him just to be sure.

Her blisters went away, but she still has scars. The medication ended last week.
Should she still have scars after 2 weeks?

Thanks so much for all of your help again.

[Terri Warren]

Some people still have marks remaining from a bad outbreak for even months afterwards.
It might be useful to see the exact test result. At any rate the test is not great for HSV 1
If she waits a few months and become positive for either HSV 1 or HSV 2, that would indicate that she has new infection.

Terri

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