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Long latency period? Did I not notice my primary breakout?
Hi,
I am a 40 year old male and have recently been diagnosed (visually) by a urologist to have Herpes. I read that the primary breakout is _usually_ within 3 weeks. I wonder whether my case is unusual or whether it's possible I missed a primary outbreak.
Here is my situation:
- My symptom is one small (2-3mm) lesion on the shaft (no blister, it looks more like an abrasion; no pain).
- I did not have or notice symptoms before.
- I have been monogamous with my current girlfriend (we met in July of this year) and have not had sex before that since my breakup in March.
- I am convinced my current girlfriend has not cheated on me (trust me here; this is not naivety talking).
Is it possible the virus has been latent for months ? Or is it possible I missed my primary outbreak? I understand the primary outbreak should be more pronounced than recurrencies; so how could I have missed it?
This has now created a big breach of trust and I am at a loss. Thank you for any advice.
Best regards
I am a 40 year old male and have recently been diagnosed (visually) by a urologist to have Herpes. I read that the primary breakout is _usually_ within 3 weeks. I wonder whether my case is unusual or whether it's possible I missed a primary outbreak.
Here is my situation:
- My symptom is one small (2-3mm) lesion on the shaft (no blister, it looks more like an abrasion; no pain).
- I did not have or notice symptoms before.
- I have been monogamous with my current girlfriend (we met in July of this year) and have not had sex before that since my breakup in March.
- I am convinced my current girlfriend has not cheated on me (trust me here; this is not naivety talking).
Is it possible the virus has been latent for months ? Or is it possible I missed my primary outbreak? I understand the primary outbreak should be more pronounced than recurrencies; so how could I have missed it?
This has now created a big breach of trust and I am at a loss. Thank you for any advice.
Best regards
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
When you say that the diagnosis was confirmed with a blood test, can you tell me about that? Is it HSV 1 or HSV 2 and what was the index value of the antibody test? Can you simply post the results here so I can be certain that only IgG type specific testing has been done?
Yes, you could have had the virus for years without symptoms, then get a significant outbreak, that is very true. If anything negatively impacted your immune system's ability to do its job, like a dose of steroids, a severe illness, a surgery, etc. I don't think you MUST go back and notify people. You certainly can. Let's wait and see what your partner's blood antibody tests show. I hope she only had IgG testing done.
If you are both infected, you are home free in terms of transmission. If you use condoms and take daily antiviral therapy, you have a low risk of infecting your partner.
Terri
Yes, you could have had the virus for years without symptoms, then get a significant outbreak, that is very true. If anything negatively impacted your immune system's ability to do its job, like a dose of steroids, a severe illness, a surgery, etc. I don't think you MUST go back and notify people. You certainly can. Let's wait and see what your partner's blood antibody tests show. I hope she only had IgG testing done.
If you are both infected, you are home free in terms of transmission. If you use condoms and take daily antiviral therapy, you have a low risk of infecting your partner.
Terri
Terri,
Many thanks for your answer. It is great to get good advice when there is so much conflicting information.
The diagnosis has been confirmed by a blood test. Do I understand correctly the virus could have been latent for months or years and I only now experience my first outbreak? This would not place me in the 90% of asymptomatic HSV carriers but in a group that either (1) had a more pronounced second outbreak than first, or (2) had a latency period of months or years. Is that possible? This is relevant as it means I potentially have to go several years back in informing my previous partners? I’ll do the right thing but would like to contact as few as possible.
The breach of trust is my girlfriend not believing I have been monogamous and obtained the virus before we started dating. This has been resolved through your answer and some other sources. Thanks very much.
Looking toward the future, is it possible to have sex using condoms when there are no visible outbreaks? Or should we abstain completely? Would it matter if my girlfriend either does or doesn’t have the virus (blood tests are in progress)?
Thanks again.
Many thanks for your answer. It is great to get good advice when there is so much conflicting information.
The diagnosis has been confirmed by a blood test. Do I understand correctly the virus could have been latent for months or years and I only now experience my first outbreak? This would not place me in the 90% of asymptomatic HSV carriers but in a group that either (1) had a more pronounced second outbreak than first, or (2) had a latency period of months or years. Is that possible? This is relevant as it means I potentially have to go several years back in informing my previous partners? I’ll do the right thing but would like to contact as few as possible.
The breach of trust is my girlfriend not believing I have been monogamous and obtained the virus before we started dating. This has been resolved through your answer and some other sources. Thanks very much.
Looking toward the future, is it possible to have sex using condoms when there are no visible outbreaks? Or should we abstain completely? Would it matter if my girlfriend either does or doesn’t have the virus (blood tests are in progress)?
Thanks again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If you do indeed have herpes, the virus could indeed have been latent for weeks, months or years. 90% of those infected with HSV 2 don't know it. If you were recently infected by your current partner, she too could have had it for years and didn't know it.
The CDC has said for years that herpes must be diagnosed by a lab test, not a visual inspection. Clinicians diagnosing herpes by visual inspection alone are wrong one out of every five times, so you definitely need a lab test to find out what is going on here. I would recommend that both you and your partner get IgG type specific lab testing done - no combined 1 and 2 test, no IgM tests, only IgG tests. You can order these tests yourself online at www. healthcheckusa.com or try to get your urologist to order it for you. This is so important to find out what you both have.
What is the breach of trust about?
Terri
The CDC has said for years that herpes must be diagnosed by a lab test, not a visual inspection. Clinicians diagnosing herpes by visual inspection alone are wrong one out of every five times, so you definitely need a lab test to find out what is going on here. I would recommend that both you and your partner get IgG type specific lab testing done - no combined 1 and 2 test, no IgM tests, only IgG tests. You can order these tests yourself online at www. healthcheckusa.com or try to get your urologist to order it for you. This is so important to find out what you both have.
What is the breach of trust about?
Terri
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
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.
