Transmission after 12 weeks

[NYC Annonymous]

Hi Terri
So I had unprotected sex four times – twice on two different nights with a man who later admitted to me that he was hsv2+.
On 7/3/23 I had unprotected sex twice in one night with deep penetration with this man. There has been No sores, no pain, no ulcers, no fever. On 8/7/23 I again had unprotected sex with this man and this is when he disclosed he was hsv2+ and that he takes antivirals daily but refused to discuss further, except by saying “the other women never got it”. I became upset and left and saw my dr about 2-3 weeks later. Dr states everything looked fine no evidence of sti or hsv2. I had no symptoms. Dr refused to do bloodwork because I have had shingles and chickpox in the past and he states that will give me a possible skewed result.
During sex the man ejaculated in me and at the end of the 2nd night 2 round of sex it was more rough and I bled a bit – pink only. I’m also in surgical menopause – so I know my vaj is more thin and sensitive. Plus some menopause vaginal symptoms are so similar to feelings of an OB. I am 49 years old. (I know I should know better).
I have been checking my vagina daily for ulcers, blisters or other signs but I’m being to think every weird sign is a possible infection. I recently gotten. a Brazilian wax just so I can see my vaj better. But I’m obsessing now.
My question is – am I at high risk for hsv2 and just have not any outbreaks ? Can semen carry hsv2? I didn’t see any outbreaks on the man and I saw him take his antiviral med as I was leaving. Also – he was also coughing a lot on the 2nd night- if that means anything. Thank you for your help.

[Terri Warren]

If this person was on daily valtrex for suppression, transmission with four intercourses is unlikely. Semen is not a great carrier of virus, no. The coughing means nothing in terms of herpes. Your symptoms are not concerning to me.

There are some false positives on the herpes IgG tests, your doctor is correct, but not for the reason he states. By the age of 45, 95% of the population in the US tests positive for the virus that causes chicken pox and no where near 95% of the patients I see test positive on the IgG test – we don’t know why people test falsely positive.

There is a great test called the herpes western blot that never yields false positive results and if you decide to test, that’s the test you need. I could help you with that.

Terri

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