Question for Dr H Please.

[Butterflygurl85]

Hello, I posted here about a month ago and got a good response but im still scared.  I had protected sex with a guy a month ago and I saw the condom had sperm in it and all. I recently found out i contracted herpes from him. At the time he had no visible sores on his mouth and we barely french kissed, it was mostly just dry kissing. My first question is,  if he gave me herpes is there a chance i could have gotten hiv from kissing him?  What about fingering?  He fingered me a couple times, but no oral sex was done . I havent found out which type of herpes it is, but im pretty sure its type 1 because iv had protected sex.  I was so scared about the whole thing i had a Hiv-1 Real time RNA PCR done at the 11th day after possible exposure and a repeat at 27th day and both were "not detected". The testing service counselors told me that if i was recently exposed that these tests would have picked up a viral load because in the beginning of infection the viral load is at its highest?  I also did a Hiv proviral DNA by PCR with a antibody and both were negative. Am I ok?  I just cant seem to sleep, relax, eat, nothing. I am just so scared I have HIV.  Your advice is appreciated.Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome back to the forum.  Thank you for starting a new thread; the herpes issue is a bit complex to add to the previous discussion.

It would be helpful to know more about your new herpes diagnosis.  Genital or oral?  You refer to kissing, so it seems you mean oral herpes, but it isn't clear.  Apparently virus testing wasn't done; if it had, probably you would know the virus type.  In any case, I agree that catching genital HSV-2 is unlikely in view of the correct condom use, and if there was no cunnilingus, there was no chance of catching genital HSV-1.

Most important, you still have no worries about HIV.  Even if your partner had HIV, and even if HSV was also in the picture, the chance of HIV transmission was minimal.  And most likely he didn't have HIV.  Further, most of the increased HIV risk related to herpes comes from HSV-2, not HSV-1.  Finally, your negaive HIV PCR tests plus the negative antibody test are sold proof you did not catch HIV.

Your reactions to all this ("can't seem to sleep, relax, eat, nothing. I am just so scared I have HIV") are not reasonable; it is not normal to be so upset in the face of such strong evidence against HIV.  You clearly do not have it, and surely your own doctor or clinic told you the same thing.  If you cannot get beyond these fears despite all this evidence, it suggests a need for professional counseling about it.  Please discuss that aspect with your primary care provider.

If you want to give more information about your apparent new herpes, I'll try to help sort out that part of the problem.  But regardless of that, it remains certain you did not catch HIV.

Regards --  HHH, MD

[Butterflygurl85]

Thank you for your prompt answer.  I think alot of this HIV fear I have is to do with me getting stuck by a needle years ago and i freak myself out everytime a relationship ends, I feel that the guy could have given me hiv.  Its kinda like a "Hiv Phobia" I guess. My Doctor laughed at me because I told him it was protected sex. In my mind I tryed to think o every way possible if the guys sperm got out.." Omg the condom slipped..or he took off the condom before he ejaculated"..I knew for a fact he didnt because the condom had sperm inside it when he was done and I would of been able to tell if he didnt have the condom on right?  Other proof is I was on my menstraul cycle and if he got any sperm loose I would have been pregnan im sure..i have had a period since him. I believe I worry too much.  The condom being full of sperm is solid proof i didnt get anything.  Plus, I did have a hiv rna pcr at the 11th day and 27th day come out " not detected".  If no viral load..no virus right?  As for the DNA PCR I had that done with an antibody on the 28th day.  What I'm concerned with is if i test at 12 weeks which is in 7 more weeks..no hiv should show up because the PCR tests didnt see it correct?

As for the herpes, The testing center said I had a herpes IGM test come back positive, but it could be a false positive.  I did a herpes IGG blood test at the 4 1/2 week mark and i am hoping its negative. I have to do another one to confirm at 12 weeks which i was going to do with my hiv antibody at 12 weeks. With hiv antibody testing do i have to test past 12 weeks? Last question sorry, what about hiv-2? I shouldnt be worried about that right?  The testing center told me the Hiv-1 RNA PCR confirms i dont have hiv-1 but they told me to test at 12 weeks to check for hiv-2? Thank you so much for your help!:)

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Please go to the STD forum, then the Search button, then enter "IgM".  You'll see lots of discussions about why your IgM test result is meaningless.   I already commented on the non-risk for HSV-2.

As your doctor already told you, PCR doesn't miss HIV at the times you were tested.  HIV-2 is virtually absent in the US.  A 12 week antibody test for that purpose is just being extra careful.  It will be negative.

[Butterflygurl85]

Thank you so much for your help! I am no longer going to worry about hiv. I am pretty confident my herpes test is wrong.:)