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Avatar universal

Advice and

Hi everyone,
      I recently took a herpes test as part of a routine STD screening. I was given the IgM test, and the HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG tests.

My IgM results were 1.14, a positive result. My HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG tests were both negative, <0.91. When I took the test, it had been five weeks and two days since I'd last had sex and would have been at risk of transmission.

I know the IgM results are relatively worthless and throw out false positives all the time. I'll be taking the Western Blot, the gold standard of tests, here in mid-July, once I've hit three months after my last possible date of transmission.

I've been relatively calm about the situation, but tonight, I discovered that I seemed to have developed an anal fissure. I've gotten them before, especially when my digestive system hasn't been too great, and it hasn't been lately. So it could be unrelated, and I'm just being hypersensitive to anything new with my body lately.

Does anyone know if anal fissures can be a symptom of herpes? I can't seem to find any reputable resources that point to that. What I have is a very clear linear crack in the skin, not the typical lesion that I've seen pictures of.

I should note, I haven't had any other possible symptoms, so if this could be a symptom, it'd be the first.

Anything you could add would be greatly appreciated. I haven't had anyone else to talk to about this, and I'm trying my best to stay calm about everything.

Thanks!

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Avatar universal
Hello, just wanted to give an update here on how things turned out. My Western Blot results came back negative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2, so the IgM was a false negative.

Thankful I don't have herpes, but also glad I know more about it and the risk factors. I'm convinced it's way overblown and the stigma around herpes is harmful and undeserved.

If you're reading this and are positive for genital herpes, I wish you the best of luck and hopefully, our society can start to think about herpes a bit more sanely.
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Also, thanks to all those here who commented! I appreciate your advice.
15249123 tn?1478652475
I do not suspect hsv and here is why. The condom protected sex would protect you from anything that the condom covers. That means it would protect the area around the entry point. So for you to contract the virus it would have had to enter in another area (providing the condom stayed on and  intact). Combine the fact you have had this before and never had lesions as well makes me think hsv is not an issue. Condoms are effective as most infections are at the point of most friction and contracting the virus in other areas are not that common.
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15249123 tn?1478652475
Tell me about the exposure?  Did you have receptive anal sex?

Yes throw the igm out the window. They are stacked with false positives.  Five weeks would generally be to long for an igm anyway. What you describe is most assuredly not hsv.
You do not need to do the westernblot. It's better served as a confirmation test.  Just take a type specific igg test at twelve weeks. It's very accurate for hsv2.
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Hi, thanks for the reply. Yes, receptive anal sex would have one possible route of exposure (always with condoms - although I know that only reduces the risk with herpes). That would've been a little over 5 weeks ago now. That's one thing that's come to mind as a possible direct route to symptoms in this area.

I've contacted my doctor and after the weekend, I'm hoping to get a swab test done tomorrow.

I should note, the anal fissure is really long and linear. I've had this sort of mild pain before after having diarrhea or constipation, and have never had reason to examine myself down there until my recent IgM test. Hoping this is just me being hyper-vigilant.
In my first post, I mistakenly said it was 5 weeks since my last exposure (it was 5 weeks since my last exposure to when I was tested).
Avatar universal
Also, I forgot to note that I will be seeing my doctor asap about this. I know they can do a swab test to determine whether there is herpes virus present on active lesions.

Just hoping to calm my mind down in the meantime. This couldn't have happened at a worse time for me.
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Avatar universal
Sorry - forgot to finish filling out the subject line! Kind of on edge right now.
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