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Hsv1 &2 risk
Hello,
Approximately 2 weeks again, I went to Asian massage parlor and ended up being offered sex by the masseuse. She put condom on and performed oral for maybe 1 minute before switching to sex. Entire encounter lasted maybe 10 minutes. Condom was in tact after we were done.
Three days later, my guilt got the best of me and I ended up taking a full panel std test (understand this was way early). To my surprise, the labcorp 10 panel came back low positive (1.88) for hsv1 and equivocal (1.06) for hsv2. I have had no symptoms and I’ve been checking what seems like every 15 minutes.
The labcorp test was an igg test. After testing, I received an email advising a secondary test was recommended based on a higher likelihood of false positives on the test taken. I have since signed up for the quest inhibition test and had a blood draw done 2 days ago (11 days post encounter) and am waiting for the results.
I’m at a loss here. From what I gather online, my risk was extremely low (protected sex/male).
How can I have a 1.06 hsv2 igg after only 3 days but no symptoms after 12? From what I can tell, antibodies don’t start start until 12-18 days post infection?
Based on digging online, I’m seeing odds at < 1 in 1000 for protected female to male transmission.
From the cdc website for hav, testing not recommended unless there are symptoms.
Should I put any faith in this test 3 days post exposure? How do I best a 1 in 1000 chance and then on top of that, show an equivalent 1.06 after 3 days despite no actual symptoms? If antibodies are there, wouldn’t it be in response to an infection/outbreak?
Approximately 2 weeks again, I went to Asian massage parlor and ended up being offered sex by the masseuse. She put condom on and performed oral for maybe 1 minute before switching to sex. Entire encounter lasted maybe 10 minutes. Condom was in tact after we were done.
Three days later, my guilt got the best of me and I ended up taking a full panel std test (understand this was way early). To my surprise, the labcorp 10 panel came back low positive (1.88) for hsv1 and equivocal (1.06) for hsv2. I have had no symptoms and I’ve been checking what seems like every 15 minutes.
The labcorp test was an igg test. After testing, I received an email advising a secondary test was recommended based on a higher likelihood of false positives on the test taken. I have since signed up for the quest inhibition test and had a blood draw done 2 days ago (11 days post encounter) and am waiting for the results.
I’m at a loss here. From what I gather online, my risk was extremely low (protected sex/male).
How can I have a 1.06 hsv2 igg after only 3 days but no symptoms after 12? From what I can tell, antibodies don’t start start until 12-18 days post infection?
Based on digging online, I’m seeing odds at < 1 in 1000 for protected female to male transmission.
From the cdc website for hav, testing not recommended unless there are symptoms.
Should I put any faith in this test 3 days post exposure? How do I best a 1 in 1000 chance and then on top of that, show an equivalent 1.06 after 3 days despite no actual symptoms? If antibodies are there, wouldn’t it be in response to an infection/outbreak?
Received inhibition results back.
Result showing <.90 and in range.
The HSV-2 IgG screening assay was repeated on a different platform as part of the inhibition test, and the result was negative; thus the Inhibition result could not be determined.
How likely am I to run into a similar, false positive scenario retesting under a standard igg test from labcorp or quest?
Continued testing necessary from protected encounter?
Result showing <.90 and in range.
The HSV-2 IgG screening assay was repeated on a different platform as part of the inhibition test, and the result was negative; thus the Inhibition result could not be determined.
How likely am I to run into a similar, false positive scenario retesting under a standard igg test from labcorp or quest?
Continued testing necessary from protected encounter?
5 Comments
Did they just run the hsv2 test or both hsv1 and hsv2?
Remember that your hsv2 test wasn't actually positive, it was equivocal, or indeterminate.
That said, it seems pretty likely that you'd run into this scenario again. I have absolutely no science to back this up, but from what I've seen, it does seem that some people will always test with low positives or equivocal results, even when negative. The test just picks up normal blood proteins you have.
If I were you, personally, from a protected encounter, I wouldn't bother testing again with an IgG test. If you get symptoms, get those cultured within 48 hours. Any doctor or Urgent Care can do that.
I really wouldn't worry if I were you.
Remember that your hsv2 test wasn't actually positive, it was equivocal, or indeterminate.
That said, it seems pretty likely that you'd run into this scenario again. I have absolutely no science to back this up, but from what I've seen, it does seem that some people will always test with low positives or equivocal results, even when negative. The test just picks up normal blood proteins you have.
If I were you, personally, from a protected encounter, I wouldn't bother testing again with an IgG test. If you get symptoms, get those cultured within 48 hours. Any doctor or Urgent Care can do that.
I really wouldn't worry if I were you.
Appreciate the insight and advice.
No symptoms noted and I’m 19-20 days out. From what I’ve read online, more often than not (not always though), some symptoms are noticed 2-20 days post.
No symptoms noted and I’m 19-20 days out. From what I’ve read online, more often than not (not always though), some symptoms are noticed 2-20 days post.
Yes, that's correct. With your really low risk, I wouldn't worry about it. Really.
@auntiejessi,
I’ve got a couple follow up questions regarding the hsv-1 igg result of 1.88 I received. Being that I tested 3-4 days post the protected encounter, I’d assume it’s fair to say the hsv1/2 igg results really are telling me nothing about that particular encounter since it would be too soon for antibodies to develop. Correct?
Since I have been with no one else other than my long term partner outside of this monumental mistake, how can I rationalize the 1.88 hsv1 igg result? If this was an infection I’ve had for a while, it would be plausible that my igg score would come back at least in the double digits. In scouring the internet, people with known hsv-1 have igg results of 30+ yet my score is 1.88. Could this mean a recent infection from a couple months prior to the test? If so, I have no idea where. I haven’t experienced any cold sores on/in my mouth. From reading online, genital hsv-1 would be less likely from female to male and especially with a condom used for all oral/sex. I’ve anlso read with ghsv-1 it does typically cause an OB and I’d not often ansymptomatic. Any thoughts on this?
I see that hsv2 iggs are prone to false positives in the 1-3.5 ranges but what about hsv1?
I did have a full std panel done in 2017 that included hsv-1 & 2 and everything came back negative at that time. What could cause my body to generate proteins 6 years later that could trip up a igg test?
I’ve got a couple follow up questions regarding the hsv-1 igg result of 1.88 I received. Being that I tested 3-4 days post the protected encounter, I’d assume it’s fair to say the hsv1/2 igg results really are telling me nothing about that particular encounter since it would be too soon for antibodies to develop. Correct?
Since I have been with no one else other than my long term partner outside of this monumental mistake, how can I rationalize the 1.88 hsv1 igg result? If this was an infection I’ve had for a while, it would be plausible that my igg score would come back at least in the double digits. In scouring the internet, people with known hsv-1 have igg results of 30+ yet my score is 1.88. Could this mean a recent infection from a couple months prior to the test? If so, I have no idea where. I haven’t experienced any cold sores on/in my mouth. From reading online, genital hsv-1 would be less likely from female to male and especially with a condom used for all oral/sex. I’ve anlso read with ghsv-1 it does typically cause an OB and I’d not often ansymptomatic. Any thoughts on this?
I see that hsv2 iggs are prone to false positives in the 1-3.5 ranges but what about hsv1?
I did have a full std panel done in 2017 that included hsv-1 & 2 and everything came back negative at that time. What could cause my body to generate proteins 6 years later that could trip up a igg test?
"Being that I tested 3-4 days post the protected encounter, I’d assume it’s fair to say the hsv1/2 igg results really are telling me nothing about that particular encounter since it would be too soon for antibodies to develop. Correct?"
Yes, I already explained this. If the hsv1 test is correct, you were already positive prior to this encounter. Again, that's a big IF.
"If this was an infection I’ve had for a while, it would be plausible that my igg score would come back at least in the double digits."
Not necessarily double digits, but probably higher than a 1.88, though it depends on the lab. Some labs cut off the test when it's clearly positive, but most labs won't cut it off at just 1.something and would wait until it's definitively positive, like in the 6-8 range.
You aren't any more positive for herpes if you get a 26.72 than if you get a 8.32.
90% of people with oral hsv1 never get any cold sores, ever. If you do have hsv1, and never get symptoms, you're in the majority.
"Could this mean a recent infection from a couple months prior to the test?"
Maybe, but unlikely. Even after a couple of months, I'd expect it to be higher. If it were a few weeks, I'd say this is more likely, but the only way we'll know is if you do another type specific IgG test.
"From reading online, genital hsv-1 would be less likely from female to male and especially with a condom used for all oral/sex."
We don't have transmission studies for ghsv1. We do for hsv2, though, and this is definitely true for hsv2. Ghsv1 isn't likely to transmit at all from genital to genital contact. It's almost always oral to genital - think oral sex.
"I’ve anlso read with ghsv-1 it does typically cause an OB and I’d not often ansymptomatic."
Sort of true. The average frequency of genital hsv1 outbreaks is less than 1 a year, and for ghsv2, it's 4-5 a year. If you don't get another outbreak after the first one for more than a year, 88% will never get another one.
"I see that hsv2 iggs are prone to false positives in the 1-3.5 ranges but what about hsv1?"
Also true for hsv1, but not to the extent for hsv2.
"What could cause my body to generate proteins 6 years later that could trip up a igg test?"
It just picked up on some blood proteins you might not have had at the time. Your body is always changing. If you do have it, the test might have just missed it. The hsv1 tests miss a full 30% of infections.
Seriously, you are spiraling, and you don't even know if you have it. I get the need to know ALL the info - I'm the same way - but you are going to stress yourself right out if you don't relax on this some.
At the worst, it looks like you might have hsv1. So do 3 billion other people under 50 in this world - it goes up over 50. It's not a big deal. Really.
Take a break from the internet for awhile. Stop googling. Go to the beach. Game. Take a vacation. Do whatever you do to relax. Take at least a week off this. :)
Yes, I already explained this. If the hsv1 test is correct, you were already positive prior to this encounter. Again, that's a big IF.
"If this was an infection I’ve had for a while, it would be plausible that my igg score would come back at least in the double digits."
Not necessarily double digits, but probably higher than a 1.88, though it depends on the lab. Some labs cut off the test when it's clearly positive, but most labs won't cut it off at just 1.something and would wait until it's definitively positive, like in the 6-8 range.
You aren't any more positive for herpes if you get a 26.72 than if you get a 8.32.
90% of people with oral hsv1 never get any cold sores, ever. If you do have hsv1, and never get symptoms, you're in the majority.
"Could this mean a recent infection from a couple months prior to the test?"
Maybe, but unlikely. Even after a couple of months, I'd expect it to be higher. If it were a few weeks, I'd say this is more likely, but the only way we'll know is if you do another type specific IgG test.
"From reading online, genital hsv-1 would be less likely from female to male and especially with a condom used for all oral/sex."
We don't have transmission studies for ghsv1. We do for hsv2, though, and this is definitely true for hsv2. Ghsv1 isn't likely to transmit at all from genital to genital contact. It's almost always oral to genital - think oral sex.
"I’ve anlso read with ghsv-1 it does typically cause an OB and I’d not often ansymptomatic."
Sort of true. The average frequency of genital hsv1 outbreaks is less than 1 a year, and for ghsv2, it's 4-5 a year. If you don't get another outbreak after the first one for more than a year, 88% will never get another one.
"I see that hsv2 iggs are prone to false positives in the 1-3.5 ranges but what about hsv1?"
Also true for hsv1, but not to the extent for hsv2.
"What could cause my body to generate proteins 6 years later that could trip up a igg test?"
It just picked up on some blood proteins you might not have had at the time. Your body is always changing. If you do have it, the test might have just missed it. The hsv1 tests miss a full 30% of infections.
Seriously, you are spiraling, and you don't even know if you have it. I get the need to know ALL the info - I'm the same way - but you are going to stress yourself right out if you don't relax on this some.
At the worst, it looks like you might have hsv1. So do 3 billion other people under 50 in this world - it goes up over 50. It's not a big deal. Really.
Take a break from the internet for awhile. Stop googling. Go to the beach. Game. Take a vacation. Do whatever you do to relax. Take at least a week off this. :)
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The IgG isn't notoriously wrong (the IgM is), but at your values, it is very likely that this is a false positive.
The way the test works is that it looks for things with similar molecular weights as herpes antibodies, and it can pick up normal blood proteins with similar weights.
Your hsv2 test isn't even positive - the cut off is 1.10.
It takes at least 2 weeks to develop antibodies, so for this current exposure, it's way too soon to know if you got it. It can take up to 12 weeks.
Even if you do have hsv1, that's a very common infection - up to 80% of the population has it.
Get the retest done, and then test again at 12 weeks.
The way the test works is that it looks for things with similar molecular weights as herpes antibodies, and it can pick up normal blood proteins with similar weights.
Your hsv2 test isn't even positive - the cut off is 1.10.
It takes at least 2 weeks to develop antibodies, so for this current exposure, it's way too soon to know if you got it. It can take up to 12 weeks.
Even if you do have hsv1, that's a very common infection - up to 80% of the population has it.
Get the retest done, and then test again at 12 weeks.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
