HSV-2 and oral sex

Hi there, I have a question that has been bothering me for a really long time now.  6 years ago I tested positive for HSV-2, however the only sexual contact I had previous to that was from unprotected oral sex one time.  About a month after that I had a slight tenderness in my glands by my groin.  After that I got tested and came up positive.  Other than that I have never shown any symptoms in 6 years.  However, I don't believe they tested for HSV-1.  I have wanted to get re-tested for a long time now but my health care provide won't give me another herpes blood test because I already have tested positive for HSV-2.  Now from reading from some other posts it sounds as if its super super unlikely that I could get it from oral sex.  So my question is it worth getting re-tested again or is it a sure bet that I have acquired genital herpes from oral sex based upon my test results??

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Antibodies indicate infection, period.
But your values are very low and should be confirmed with herpes western blot testin.  You may not have HSV 2 infection at all.

Terri

[yeppers1984]

I would like to add that after I was diagnosed I was given antibiotics and the swellings in the glands went away and that has been it.

[fm123]

Well, the one you want to/will hear from is Mrs.Warren, however I thought I'd chime in for the time being. It's very unlikely you got type 2 from oral sex. You need to find out what test you had done and what the numerical values were, i.e 1.8 or 3.4 or 5.1 for example, and make sure it was the IgG test only, NOT the IgM. Also, don't be afraid to get a new doctor, there are plenty of good docs out there and if the one you have doesn't suit your needs, well, that's the business end of health care, you find one that does. But wait for Mrs.Warren's response, it's the one you want. She'll know the answers to your questions.  

[yeppers1984]

Ya thank you, it didn't make sense to me I guess why they wouldn't re-test me.  I was in a number of times afterwords for other things and have asked other times to get re-tested and they said that they would not do it because I already tested positive.  However, they would test for other std's if I had been with anyone else after my test.  I haven't done so because they people I have been with have all been tested after we slept together and have come up clean......I also never got numerical values, there was just a list of the std's I got tested for and whether or not I was positive or negative, which i obviously tested positive for HSV-2.  Don't know if it matters or not but I only had oral sex for maybe a minute or so.  I really didn't like the situation I was put in and bailed.  I also want to add that it was probably 3 weeks to a month after my encounter that I got tested.

[fm123]

Well, you said in your post that you've slept with other people? If that's so, a hsv2 infection may have come from there?  I'm not one to give info/procedures here, this is Mrs.Warrens site so let her tell you your next step in clearing this up. Hang in there, you'll get some clearer answers as soon as she responds.

[yeppers1984]

Na, the only previous contact I ever had with a girl previous to my test was the unprotected oral sex.  Never had vaginal sex of any sort with that girl.  I honestly do not know the status of the girl whom gave me the oral sex whether she has it or not.  I have been with three girls after my positive test, whom I all had "the talk" with and took the necessary precautions.  They have all been just fine after being tested and have come up negative and have had no complications of any sort.

[yeppers1984]

Well I got a copy of my test results from 6 years ago and the numbers were HSV-1 IGG <0.9 and HSV-2 IGG 1.25 does that mean that I'm 100% or should I still get tested again?  Was reading on another forum that there are a lot of false positives at that rane.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

The 1.25 numeric value suggests that your test needs to be confirmed by another test.  1.25 is technically a positive result, but is very low.  I would recommend that you get a herpes western blot test.  This can be ordered through Quest labs.  The test number is 34534.  You may find that you never need to have the talk again.  I hope you will pursue this.  We've had several patients in our clinic who have discovered through the western blot that they definitely don't have genital herpes, when, for years they believed that they were infected.  Some had even been on therapy for years.  

Terri

[tom370]

Hi all

i was recently diagnosed hsv2 and i had to inform my financee thereby cancellation of my marriage . iam trying to come over this  mental trauma.

now i had done this test 3 times and the results re
hsv2 igg 1.61  
second time hsv2 igg 1.31
third time hsv2 igg 0.98

the igm are negative all 3 times

over the last 5 months i had unprotected oral sex with 2 girls
1 of which tested negative for herpes not sure about other girl

i did protected sex with both of them using condoms.
as per  my result numbers do i have herpes? those are the numbers from blood test.

i read that antibodies can develop even though there is no herpes is that true.. if yes how do i know if i have only antibodies and not herpes

[yeppers1984]

A related discussion, got a test done was started.