Test results question

[Penelope25]

A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with ghsv 1 via swab test, the blood work also came back positive for hsv 1, however she said it looked like a new infection based on the igm but an old infection based on igg.

I recently got a routine screening done and this time the igm was negative and the igg was positive at a 7.5 he said it was an old infection, but when I was first diagnosed it was the same "an old infection" according to my dr, and I saw her abou 2 to 3 weeks after being exposed. I'm a bit confused why when I had my first outbreak my igg results indicated and old infection?

[Penelope25]

Thank you fleetwood

[Fleetwood20]

Antivirals remove the building blocks for the virus hence preventing replication. At times though, replication overwhelms the immune system and antivirals.

Generally though taking antivirals reduces the time and quantum of shedding of virus, this in turn means lower transmission chances.

[Penelope25]

I haven't had any clear answers to valtrax making the virus weaker. I know it still sheds but I remember reading that although it doesn't stop it from shedding it makes the virus much weaker when it does shed, making it even harder to transmit. Is this true?

[Penelope25]

Thanks you so much fleetwood you have been very helpful

[Fleetwood20]

Yes after a year you can assume that your body has built immune responses to a good level and shedding is at low levels that will continue to lower most likely over the years. Shedding probably only occurs 15 days a year for you now. For this reason, antivirals are probably not required as they may reduce the shedding days to 8 for example.

Remember that your partner will more likely than not have an oral HSV1 infection in which case transmission rates are close to zero if not zero.

[Penelope25]

Thank you, 2 more question. Is a year to soon to assume that the shedding has reduced? I'm also on daily anti virals because recently I became sexually active again and although I've read it doesn't reduce shedding it might make the virus weaker even on the days shedding occur, any insight on that?

Honestly this sucks it is definitely more phsycological than anything I've had one out break and have never had symptoms or any discomfort over it, it's the thought of transmission that makes everything worse. Before I was sexually active again I would even forget I have this.

[Fleetwood20]

I think at this stage it is best to leave testing behind you. If your first test a year ago was strongly positive then you most likely had the infection before that particular outbreak.

However the swab is conclusive and that is all that matters. Your latest test result is perfectly normal and cannot be used to infer an infection longer than a year, no.

HSV1 genitally doesnt shed much at all, but does reduce over time, yes. It is estimated that it would shed 10-15 days a years.

[Penelope25]

And is a 7.5 considered really old? As in older than a year? Is there a way of telling? I've read that for hsv 2 the longer you've had the infection the less it sheds, is it the same for hsv 1?

[Penelope25]

Yes the swab, the blood work and a cervix test came back positive. I never had an outbreak tho, that was my first time experiencing it.

[Fleetwood20]

In theory it could have been as little as 3 weeks, but more probably somewhat longer. The only thing that is close to certain is that if you have a blood and swab test at the same time with both positive, then it is a recurrent outbreak and the infection didn't occur in the preceding days.

[Penelope25]

But if the igg was positive and she said it was an old infection then that means I had it for a while correct?

[gracefromHHP]

It could've been a few weeks, a few months, or who knows how long. No real way to tell when the igg is + at the time of noticeable symptoms.

typically  hsv1 is transmitted to the genitals through receiving oral sex. It can be transmitted from genitals to genitals but oral sex is the main mode of transmission.

[Penelope25]

So I'm guessing I've had it for years and that's why last year my igg came back positive after testing 2 weeks after my lesion. Because according to her my igg results came back positive for hsv 1 but it seemed like an old infection. And recently k got bloom work done and it came back positive for hsv 1 at a 7.5, but no igm. Now I'm even more confused as to how I got this, because I've always been very careful I've only had unprotected sex with my sons father who I've never seen a sore on genitily or orally.

[gracefromHHP]

Just a single lesion is most likely a recurrence, not an initial infection.

Almost half of folks will test + on igg 2-3 weeks into infection. A + igm at the same time as your initial symptoms wasn't helpful at all since igm frequently reactivates during recurrences and can also be + due to other infections too.  A provider should not still be wasting money testing you with igm herpes testing anyways knowing that you have a well established infection.

For females, the initial infection with genital herpes can present on the cervix and go relatively unnoticed. Not too unusual to only notice you are infected with herpes with a recurrence, even with genital hsv1.

keep asking questions!

grace

[Penelope25]

So why did my igg show an old infection when I first got tested? Does that mean it was initially an old infection? It was pretty bad and painful but it was just one sore that look more like a red patch never looked like a blister or like it had puss inside or anything like that it was very red and irritated and more like raw skin.

[Life360_Dave]

It is believed that IGM shows up first then dissapears but we dont use igm anyway so we can toss that statement out. Most often with a new infection an iGM would be positive and the igg negative so having a negative igm and a positive igg would be consistant with an old infection.