Herpes testing timeline

[bcden]

Is there a definite timeline on when an IgG test for Herpes (HSV-1) would come back positive following an exposure?

I tested negative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 last fall.

I had a potentional expousre (unprotected fellatio) on April 17.

My doctor uses an IgG test. When would this test be 50% correct? 100% correct?

[bcden]

Thanks again for the reply, Fleetwood20. I really appreciate it. You post a lot of information on here and it helps a lot.

[Fleetwood20]

Herpes is almost always not asymptomatic in adults upon primary infection.

HSV1 testing misses about 1 in 10 infections, so this could be you. It is also possible that what you thought were cold sores were bacterial?

Either way it doesn't particularly matter. If you have HSV1 from your youth, then you won't get it genitally. If you don't have it, after 20 days of no sores, you still don't have it.

[bcden]

Thanks for the reply.

It has been 20 days since the possible exposure and I have not had an outbreak of sores, but I've read, everywhere it seems, how asymptomatic herpes is. Should I go in for a test?

Also, I remember having cold sores as a child, but I tested negative for HSV-1 this past fall. Is it possible to get cold sores and not have HSV-1? Or that HSV-1 doesn't always show up on tests?

[Fleetwood20]

Most people reveal a positive blood test with 8 week of infection (90% level) and many from 4 weeks (50%).

To be confident in a negative, 12 weeks is needed.

However unless you had an outbreak of sores, infection is incredibly unlikely. HSV1 just doesn't infect you unannounced!