Do people with cold sores test positive for HSV?

Hi,
I acquired genital herpes when my partner performed oral sex and was unaware he was having a cold sore break out. My symptoms appeared on my vagina within the next week. However I did not develop cold sores even though we had kissed alot. I told him to go get tested (since I did not want him to spread it to anyone else) and he stated that he did and he was "good" which I assume means his tests came back negative. Is that possible? or should his tests have come back positive since he gets cold sores? I fear that he lied and didn't actually get tested and wil therefore spread it to other women.

Thanks

[gracefromHHP]

even the best blood tests still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections.

unless you've seen his test results with your own eyes, assume nothing dear.

grace

[gracefromHHP]

is this fellow still  your partner or is he a former partner?

[lostirish]

Thanks for your response. We were never really partners, more acquaintances and one thing led to another. But I just worry for any future partners of his, which I may meet. But I doubt he would show me his results.

[gracefromHHP]

what testing have you had done yourself? did you get a lesion culture done when you had symptoms?

grace

[AshD409]

I just went through a whole herpes diagnosis with my doctor last week.  She told me that if you get bloodwork, then whether you have had HSV-1 or HSV-2 that a person will test positive for herpes regardless.  Bloodwork would not come back negative for someone who has had cold sores, especially if they were recent cold sores. As compared with any other tests, I am not too sure.  

All the best!

[gracefromHHP]

your provider isn't quite as up to date on herpes blood testing as they need to be. tons of posts here with info on herpes blood testing.

grace

[lostirish]

I got a blood test that showed one of my levels were high (showing i had a recent outbreak) and the other was low showing that I had been exposed. The whole medical system failed me pretty bad initially. I went into a walk in with my symptoms and the doctor just said You have herpes. Did he take a culture? no!  (possibly still bitter) but then went to another doctor who was great so medical system redeemed :) and got  a blood test.But sadly (well not really) but by the time I got to the good doctor I had no symptoms, so he couldn't do a culture.

I went for a pap with my own doctor a month later and she said there was nothing unusual. I asked if there was any signs of herpes and she said no. but did you have sore. yes then you have it... medical system decreasing again. so ya it was a bit of a rollercoaster :S

[lostirish]

Ya the whole blood test is kinda aggravating. I'm going to have to look more into it. Knowledge is power, some say :)

[petal130]

A pap smear does not check for herpes; it checks for irregular cells from your cervix.

Best that you find out what blood test you had done and post the numeric results here for grace to help you with. There's no such thing as being exposed to herpes; you either have it or you don't.

[gracefromHHP]

definitely post your blood test results here for me to look at. how long after you had last had any sex/oral sex did you have the blood test done?

grace

[lostirish]

I had the blood test 24 days after my last oral sex. My results were
Herpes Simplex Virus antibody IgM (EIA) postive
Herpes Simplex Virus antibody IgG (EIA) High

[lostirish]

I'm really embarrassed as to how uninformed I am to all this stuff. I'd never gotten a pap til now cuz I was never sexually active and I was told by my old doctor that I didn't need one. But then I hear you should be having them since you were 18 regardless. I don't know who to believe. I think I should sign up for a sex-ed web site too

[gracefromHHP]

you need to repeat your blood test with a different one. the one you had doesn't appear to be type specific for starters. also you need numeric results to help us see if you need additional testing done or not. there are low positive issues with the blood tests so you can't just assume a + is really a true + sometimes.   it would've been so much more helpful if they had did a lesion culture on you...sigh.  

you don't have to start having paps at 18 regardless :)

www.ashastd.org is a terrific website with lots of sex ed info on it.

grace

[lostirish]

Thanks so much Grace,
I have a doctors appointment this Thursday. Is the specific blood test called something? Although my doctor doesn't really seem to be very up todate with current info. I'm actually trying to get referred to a Doctor who specializes in herpes.  So I'm sure he'll know all the jargon :)
Thanks so much for the website. Better to start late than never. But I am glad I wasn't going through paps all these years for nothing !

:)