Childhood herpes

I as told very recently that I had contracted herpes as an infant.  I had sores from head to toe.   I was hospitalized when I was a baby for nine days and was given acyclovir through an I.V.   I was told that I was quarantined and the only person allowed with me at the hospital was my mother. I had another outbreak on my face when I was 4 years old.  I am not sure what strain exactly it was.  Recently I was tested and was told that I had the antibodies for both strains.  My question is, Would it be possible to have contracted HSV2 as an infant and have outbreaks as an adult on the genitalia?  

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Your question is a very important one so I consulted with Dr. Richard Whitley, Professor at the University of Alabama, an expert in neonatal herpes.  His response confirmed my first thought - there is no way to know for certain if you are infected genitally, based on this antibody test.  Let's try clearing up a few things right off the top.  The antibody test that you had for HSV 1 and 2 - can you please post the values for me here on the board so I can make certain that your values are high enough that they don't need confirmation?  The test results should have come with a number called an index value.  Can you get those for me please?  

If you develop any genital symptoms, you should go in right away for a swab test to try to sort this out.  Clearly, if you swab test positive from a genital lesion, then you are infected genitally.  

Have you had sexual experiences in your lifetime?

Terri

[needanswers633]

I don't know the values to the antibody test, but I will find out on Monday.  She did tell me that I had a weak strain  The way this all came about has been really unfortunate.   From March -July of 2008, I was extremely stressed out.  My nephew and brother in law were killed by a reckless driver, my mother had a stroke and I was stuck in the middle; an emotional mess.  I never previously had a sore, outbreak nothing.  During the time I was with my ex who I was with for 5 years.  In June I had my routine STD testing and that was when I tested positive for herpes.  Well of course I was devastated and the first person I ran to was my boyfriend at the time.  Who also got tested after and came back negative.  Right after finding out I did develop a tiny sore that lasted a day, I got it checked and it did come back positive for HSV 2.  I asked my ex at the time to get tested again and he did and came back negative again.  That was when I remembered the illness as a child and asked my sister and she told me that it was never told to me that I had herpes as a baby because my mother never wanted me to know.  I'm not sure why this all came out now.  I also don't know why my ex never caught it from me, seeing that I was with him for 5 years and we would have unprotected sex.  The difficult part about all of this is that my mother nor my siblings are being 100% honest with me.  I was just told that my father had herpes, my mother did and I contracted it as an infant- and I almost died.  That's it.  Nothing else.  I never had a sore or an outbreak until I found out that I had herpes- I don't know if that was due to teh stress and upset I was in.  I know that this is a difficult question.  I just want to know if I contracted HSV 2 as an infant, could it have developed in my adult life as genital herpes?  I know that this type of herpes favors the lower region of the body.  As far as HSV 1 is concerned, I never had a cold sore in my life.  

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

well, that clears up a few things.  So we know you have genital herpes that is HSV 2.  Have you had other sex partners in your lifetime from whom you could have contracted this?  Hard to know exactly what to make of your childhood experience, and if there is no one who can clear this up for you (parents, etc) its possible you will never know where you got this.  

Terri

[needanswers633]

I just don't know how it is possible that my ex didn't catch it being that I was with him for 5 years.  I've contacted my otehr exes and they came up negative as well.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Transmission to a sex partner is definitely not a given, even in a long relationship.  Sorry I can't help you more to sort this out.

Terri

[needanswers633]

Thank you for all of your help.  I truly appreciate it.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

you are most welcome.

Terri

[needanswers633]

Hi Terry, You had previously asked me to post the index value of my HSV tests both 1 and 2.  I called the Doctor today and found out that bother HSV 1 and 2 were 0.89.  Can you please explain what this means?  What is an index value and what correlation does it have with HSV?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I'm a little confused - those are both negative values.  Do you want to check again just to be sure and ask them to explain?  Are you sure 0.89?
Terri

[needanswers633]

I called the doctor to confirm again.  It was 4.1 index number for herpes 2.  Can you explain to me what that means?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

It means your are infected with HSV 2 and fits much better with your HSV 2 positive swab test.  I was pretty confused there for a bit.

If you have more questions, we really should start a new post.

Terri