HSV-1 virus location?

[LoneNow]

I'm a straight male in my late 30's.

I've suspect I've had HSV-2 for the last 15 years but only recently started researching on web sites, forums, and the Westover handbook.

My relationship status has changed so I needed to find out exactly what I have. I got an IgG test and found out I was actually HSV-1 positive only.

Now the questions begin. Do I have HSV-1 in oral in genital form?

I've never had a "cold sore" around my mouth that I know of, but many people have HSV-1 orally and do not have symptoms.

I suspected I had genital HSV-2 because about 2 years into the relationship with my wife (we are now separated) she was diagnosed with genital herpes. I don't know what kind of test they did to determine this, because back then herpes testing was not as sophisticated as now, and she was from a very small town - could have been exam only! I did not get a test at that time because they said I needed an active outbreak to test.

I always just assumed her diagnoses was correct and that I must have had herpes and didn't know it and that I passed it to her.

The reason I "took the blame" for having it already was that a couple years prior (before I apparently passed it to her) I had about a 1 inch lesion at the base of my penis (top side) that I didn't get tested and it healed, that was about 17 years ago. At the time I was young and just didn't think about it, it healed and I never got tested for anything.

I never had another lesion like this again. The only exception to this is about 12 years ago I had what my doctor told me was an allergic reaction to doxycycline. I had a sore on the tip of my penis down to the ridge, mostly on one side that was very red. It seemed to coincide exactly with taking the doxycycline. My doctor didn't even blink an eye and said, "yep, you are allergic to doxycycline, that is what can happen." I never thought about it again. But now I can't find any references to such types of allergic reactions to doxycycline. So I do not know if this was an HSV-1 outbreak triggered by doxycycline, just a random HSV-1 outbreak, or if it was in fact just an allergic reaction to doxycycline?

I've had some "suspect" looking small oval sores in my pubic hair area over the years. Never more than 1 (maybe 2?) at the same time that I can remember. And it is often years in between having them. I always just assumed they had something to do with herpes. But the more I think about it, they could have just been ingrown hairs.

I sometimes get the "tingling" feeling that some people describe during prodrome. But I am not sure I've ever been able to correlate that tingling with the appearance of the sores, which again, I think I've seen maybe 5 or 6 times in the last 17 years.

So there was the initial lesion (which doesn't really sound much like a herpes outbreak), the "allergic" outbreak, some small, infrequent sores in my pubic hair area, and tingling sometimes associated with prodrome.

I suspect the only way I will know for sure is if I get another one of those red oval sores and then get the good PCR herpes swab test done.

I figure it is most likely I have genital HSV-1, but with 50-70% of the population testing positive for HSV-1 there is always the chance I simply have the common HSV-1 orally but do not exhibit symptoms.

Are there any other ways to figure out the location of my HSV-1?

Interestingly, my doctor suspects that the initial lesion at the base of my penis could have been Syphilis and that I should get an FTA test to check and see if I ever had Syphilis. She thinks that if that test comes back positive that I may not have HSV-1 in the genital area. She thinks the lesion was from Syphilis, which probably got cured by a random round of anti-bacterial drugs taken for some other reason. So, if I did have Syphilis at some point it likely would have been cured by those antibiotics.

So, how do I figure this out? Any suggestions?

I want to be sure I am being safe and know as much about what I have as possible.

[gracefromHHP]

oral herpes wouldn't cause her to have lower back and abdominal pain. she should follow up on those with her provider.  would not be unusual for her to be sick with something else and it triggered an oral herpes recurrence, not the oral herpes causing all these other symptoms. make sense?

[gracefromHHP]

oral herpes wouldn't cause her to have lower back and abdominal pain. she should follow up on those with her provider.  would not be unusual for her to be sick with something else and it triggered an oral herpes recurrence, not the oral herpes causing all these other symptoms. make sense?

[gracefromHHP]

oral herpes wouldn't cause her to have lower back and abdominal pain. she should follow up on those with her provider.  would not be unusual for her to be sick with something else and it triggered an oral herpes recurrence, not the oral herpes causing all these other symptoms. make sense?

[LoneNow]

I wanted to follow up even though it has been a long time since my original post. A few months ago I had what I believe was my first oral outbreak (cold sore). I may have had something small in the past and never associated it, but I don't remember. There was no doubt about this one, had every sign of a typical HSV1 oral outbreak. Edge of my upper lip, prodome stinging, scabbed over in a few days, etc. I have always thought my HSV1 was genital, but only because of some anecdotal evidence, no clear proof. Well, after the cold sore I am almost positive it is oral. But looking back, this makes some sense.

I have been with my girlfriend for more than 2 years. I believe I passed HSV1 to her (she got it orally) early in a our relationship. I was so baffled because I thought it wasn't that easy to pass GHVS1 since it doesn't present itself much. Now that I know I had OHSV1 the whole time, it makes sense that it was easier to pass.

Her initial outbreak was severe, lots of sores inside her mouth, flu-like symptoms. She has just gotten her first regular oral outbreak this week, more than 2 years after her primary. I feel pretty down about it. She is having a rough time and is starting to link other aches and pains to the outbreak (like lower back and abdomen pain).

I am trying to educate her the best I can, but it is hard. She is nervous about passing it to her kids and can't seem to understand (or at least remember) that since I already have HSV1 that I do not need to take any precautions about touching her or exposing myself to her outbreak. I already have it, I can't get it again in another spot on my body and it can't trigger a new outbreak on me.

Anybody have any suggestions on good reading for her in this case?

[LoneNow]

Update! I talked to the people who ran the actual test, not just the people who drew the blood.

The HSV test was manufactured by DiaSorian. The test instrument was Liaison and the process used was Chemiluminescence. This is not an ELISA test, but it is a type specific test known as (CLlA). This person said she was very confident in the test and that my numbers were very clear and that they see numbers as high as mine frequently with this type of test.

The possible range of IgG results for this type of test is 0 - 76.4 with mine being 61 for HSV1. The "H" in front of the number on my print out represented "High" meaning a solid positive reading.

So, I'm confident now that my test was run correctly and that I can believe my results. But I still do not know for sure if I have HSV1 genitally or orally, with only some anecdotal evidence that it is genitally.

The person I spoke with was fantastic and she gave me her full name and phone number and said I could call back anytime if I had questions and that if she didn't know the answer she'd find out for me. I was impressed.

So I guess I just wait around until I have something show up genitally that might allow for a culture. But, all in all I'm satisfied and feel fairly confident that I understand what I have and how to deal with it.

[gracefromHHP]

it could be 61 but I'm guessing whoever entered it into the computer misplaced the decimal point. either way, 6.1 or 61 would be +.

grace

[LoneNow]

Just for clarity, the negative range on the print out for IgG is "less than" 0.90 and my IgG HSV1 result was 61. Is it possible to be so high? Does this mean anything?

[LoneNow]

Thank you grace.

I've been told my test results look strange and that my IgG HSV1 number is out of range high.

IgG Test Results:
HSV1 = 61.0
HSV2 = 0.08

IgM Test Results:
HSV1 = .43
HSV2 = .65

Any comments on this? Is this possible to be 61?

I have an actual copy of the printed results, this is not just a mistake over the phone.

[gracefromHHP]

unfortunately the only thing you can do at this point is wait for a return of your genital symptoms and try to get them cultured as you already surmised.  

So what do you do now while trying to date again?  Well you need to have a full std "talk" anyways with any potential partners. I'd just be open and honest about the somewhat grey area you are in.  They'll need tested too to know their status so cross your fingers that they too are hsv1+ and then it's pretty much a non-issue for the new relationship.  If they aren't , discuss together what precautions to take.  

You could've had syphilis but it's just as likely you didn't.

Have you discussed this at all with your ex wife to see if she's pursued additional testing to know her own status? it's important for her to figure out if she has hsv1 or hsv2 for her own future relationships too.

grace