HSV-2 Transmission

I have been married and faithful for 34 years. However, during that time my husband admitted to at least 3 different affairs with other women. In 2006 I began to show sign of HSV-2, I tested positive and my viral load was 4.25. I started on supressants and continue that treatment. I recently tested postive again but my viral load was lower 1.25. My husband has not been tested and does not admit to symptoms. I believe he infected me but he claims he wasn't 'sexually active' with anyone but me during that time period. Incidentally, I have filed for divorce and am now terrified to go out into the dating community. Please let me know your thoughts on how I became infected. It's all very frustrating. Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

we don't measure viral load with herpes - just igg results.

You've had symptoms in the past. Were they confirmed with a lesion culture or just the blood test?

Unless your ex gets tested, no way to know his status.

grace

[Tyshawn]

Thanks for your advice Grace. Igg results show I have HSV-2, right? They said I would never be under 1.0. My doc didn't really explain everything, and I have been very distraught over the diagnosis. So much so I have only recently been able to do research on your site. The emotional feelings come and go of having the disease and not understanding why. My doc said I could have been exposed years ago and a stressor brought it to the surface.

Symptoms were not confirmed with a lesion culture only blood test.

My ex has had shingles and his doc said that any test would confirm herpes. Is that true?
Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

You need the type specific herpes igg blood tests to confirm hsv2 infections.

Your initial + hsv2 igg was over the typical false positive range and if you had had a + lesion culture of active symptoms you'd know for sure that it was definitely hsv2 genitally.  Probably no good reason to doubt your infection but if you ever do, just stop suppressive therapy and when you have a return of symptoms, get them cultured and typed within 48 hours. I just like to confirm infections both ways whenever possible to be sure.  Your igg for hsv2 is still + though obviously much lower than previously.  Supposedly suppressive therapy never lowers that by more than 10% but we don't have a heck of a lot of studies on that.  You could've been infected 10 years before you had symptoms or even a month or two, you'll never figure it out most likely.

Terri Warren, medhelp's herpes expert, has a terrific book out called "the good news about the bad news".  It's well worth the $15 on amazon to order it I think . It has terrific info in it and also spends a lot of time covering the emotional side of having genital herpes too.  Might be worthwhile for you before you are ready to step out into the not so exciting but always entertaining world of dating again :)

grace