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How reliable is my blood test
I recently had a blood test done to determine whether or not I'd been infected with the hsv2 virus. I have been in a monogamous relationship for 17 years albeit 2 months ago when I had unprotected see with a friend. Just over two weeks following our encounter my friend called to say she had a spot around her vaginas area. It later transpired after a swab test that she had herpes. I was horrified and incredibly anxious as I'd not had any symptoms remotely resembling herpes and any I did have such as a itchy urethra and the odd itch around the penis and groin area where probably psychological.
Anyway, exactly two months to the day I had a blood test. Both came back positive hsv1 igg 5.82 and my hsv2 came back as 1.16. I queried this with the doctor who said that given the information I'd given them that I must have been EXPOSED to the virus at some point but now it was lying dormant and because I wasn't having symptoms it was not possible to have contracted the virus or given the virus to my friend.
I asked if I should be retested in 6 months but he didn't seem to think there was any point. I raised the issue of false positive but he wasn't hearing any of it. What I did was wrong but I do not want to endanger my wife if there is the slightest chance I could infect her. I don't want to take antivirals unless I'm absolutely certain I have the virus. In the past I've always worn contraception bar 2 very long relationships.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
p's I'm in the UK so I'm unfamiliar with the lab testing
Anyway, exactly two months to the day I had a blood test. Both came back positive hsv1 igg 5.82 and my hsv2 came back as 1.16. I queried this with the doctor who said that given the information I'd given them that I must have been EXPOSED to the virus at some point but now it was lying dormant and because I wasn't having symptoms it was not possible to have contracted the virus or given the virus to my friend.
I asked if I should be retested in 6 months but he didn't seem to think there was any point. I raised the issue of false positive but he wasn't hearing any of it. What I did was wrong but I do not want to endanger my wife if there is the slightest chance I could infect her. I don't want to take antivirals unless I'm absolutely certain I have the virus. In the past I've always worn contraception bar 2 very long relationships.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
p's I'm in the UK so I'm unfamiliar with the lab testing
Sorry you have to excuse my ignorance in all this as this is all new to me and the doctor didn't do a good job in explaining things to me. I assumed the igg results wouldn't change that much if at all if this was my one and only sexual encounter.
When you say you wouldnt expect it to change, ive already told you is most likely a false positive cross reacting from your hsv1. It should be higher than a 1.16 on average. If you did not have hsv1 then there might be a slight concern. You can test now but convinceing your self you have hsv2 is more from quilt that reality. Ive been doing this for years and im telling you not to be overly concerned about this.
I will test again in a month or so but if you say the tests are pretty conclusive after 8 weeks I wouldn't expect much to change. By shift I meant that the criteria for determining herpes had changedirection and so low numbers were and are not reliable indicators as to one has herpes or not.
Testing now would shed some light. Its either has to be positive or a negative. not sure what you mean by shifting. Also please confirm if she has hsv1 or 2. its important.
Do you think if I retested in a few months and the results were the same that I could discount the results as being false even though technically positive. There is still a possibility right that I could be positive even though the parameters have shifted in diagnosing herpes.
My apologies. I've asked her to confirm with her doctor if it was hsv1 or 2. Apparently her ex husband had frequent cold sore outbreaks. They engaged in regular oral sex.
No, i ment the swab on the girl as you dont mention it was hsv1 or hsv2. also 8 weeks is a good indicator with a blood test. 99.99% chance its a false positive. Contracting herpes from a one time affair where she did not have any genital sore at the time is really low risk and testing at 8 weeks should be closer to a 3.5 not a 1.16 in my experience.
Hi Life360, I haven't had a swab just a blood test as I've not any lesions. I have been reading the forums and they do mention early infection but not sure if 8 weeks qualifies for this.
Hi, in all likely hood your hsv2 is a false positive and the 1.16 is the result of cross reactivity from your hsv1. You can retest now to confirm this. Did the swab confirm hsv2 or hsv1?
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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.
