Immuno-Compromised exposure to herpes, Help?

[Brandon5222]

Hello,

I am 34 year old male, recently had unprotected sex with a girl 5 weeks ago. I found out after that she had HSV2 but had not experienced symptoms in close to 4 years.

Since the encounter I have experienced no lesions, but during the first 2 weeks there was a very slight discomfort I would feel more so after urinating- this would come and go but I never experienced anything I would refer to as pain.
I am also uncircumcised and have had an off and on experience of a yeast infection since the encounter -(However I should note that I was/am on a heavy dose of amoxicilan, which has given me yeast infections in the past).
as of last week the lower part of my back has been achey on and off. Nothing extreme, but enough for me to notice.. mostly when I am laying down or sitting in a chair.
Lastly a couple of days ago my right knee has begun to ache, so much that it has made me limp, however it has begun to feel much better and I am no longer limping. It did not come as a result of exercise but did happen as I was going up a couple flight of stairs.

I have been tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea twice, both came back negative.  I have not tested for Herpes yet because I am a patient with XLA *a primary immune deficiency*and I receive  bi-weekly treatment of IVIG. I was told that testing for me might result in a most certain positive because of the IVIG I receive if it is searching for anti-bodies for HSV as the chances for those antibodies to be present in the IVIG I receive are likely.

My questions are... How likely is it I would be experiencing an atypical herpes reaction without sores present given my compromised immune system AND is there a test I could take that could find the virus without having to look for antibodies to suggest the virus is present? I would just like to calm my fears and know for sure.
Thank you!

[Brandon5222]

Thank you so much for the Reply!

The transmission rates you provided definitely put me at ease. I think reading too many sites online have given me an overload of paranoia regarding Herpes symptoms. I kept believing that my minor back ache and then knee ache were developing symptoms since I've read that it "can be" attributed to Herpes. Am I right to assume that I would not experience those onset of symptoms without some type of lesion or other? Especially since I am immunocompromised?

Last question, I've read about a test regarding spinal fluid in detecting HSV... Does such a test actually exist and is it reliable?

Thanks again so much, the straight forward REAL answers on this forum/site have been a breath of fresh air!

[HowardH]

Being immunocompromised is not known to increase the risk of herpes if exposed, or to make the initial infection milder. The reverse probably is true -- the symptoms might be more severe. In any case, herpes doesn't cause the sorts of symptoms you describe.

Even in monogamous couples in which one person has HSV2 and the other doesn't, who have unprotected vaginal sex 2-3 times per week, transmission occurs in only 1 in 20 coupes per year. This works out to roughly one transmission for every 1,000 exposures. So that's probably the approximate chance you were infected from your single contact with an infected partner.

Interesting question whether therapeutic IVIG would increase the risk of a false positive HSV blood test. It makes sense that it might, but I'm not aware this has ever been researched. But it seems to me your doctors may be correct -- so I think it's probably best you not be tested, especially since your risk was so low and you have no symptoms to suggest HSV2.

Good luck.