Aa
Do I have it or not?
Hey there. Here's my story: 2 months after having an one night stand with an old friend I spotted 6-7 sores in my vulva, widespread, bilateral. I was just getting better from a sore throat at that time. GYN looked and denied it was herpes (said it was a bad fungal infection) but within a couple of days they became "canker sores" and painful, so she decided to diagnose me as having herpes. While I still had the open sores (5th/6th day) I had a PCR swab - negative for HSV.
Apart from this one night stand I only have sex with my regular partner of 7 years, with whom I resumed my relationship just a week after that one night stand. We had had sex 2 weeks before the outbreak, probably.
My first HerpeSelect (1 month after ob) was HSV1 and equivocal for HSV2. So we thought that I would seroconvert to HSV2, of course. But after that me and my regular partner had several tests and they all have been HSV1+ and HSV2+. We both haven't had a noticeble cold sores in all those years.
The one night stand guy showed me his results 5 months after our encounter and 2 years after our encounter. Negative for HSV1 and HSV2. He denied ever having symptoms.
What confuses me even more is that 10 months after the OB I had a weird open sore next to my vulva that healed in one day (dermatologist said it healed too quickly to be herpes) and that 4 months later I had a confirmed open sore in my labia (GYN said that it was probably herpes). I was suffering from a bad sore throat in both occasions. So something is going on. My GYN thinks it's HSV1, but I guess it would be highly unlikely for me to get it from someone who never had a noticeble cold sore. Besides, my whole family suffers from cold sores, I probably have it since childhood. At the same time, I don't see a possible source for HSV2, I only had those two sex partners in life.
I'll certainly insist in a new PCR swab next time (it's been a year and no similar episodes have occured), just wanted to know if anyone has an idea if this might be herpes or not.
Apart from this one night stand I only have sex with my regular partner of 7 years, with whom I resumed my relationship just a week after that one night stand. We had had sex 2 weeks before the outbreak, probably.
My first HerpeSelect (1 month after ob) was HSV1 and equivocal for HSV2. So we thought that I would seroconvert to HSV2, of course. But after that me and my regular partner had several tests and they all have been HSV1+ and HSV2+. We both haven't had a noticeble cold sores in all those years.
The one night stand guy showed me his results 5 months after our encounter and 2 years after our encounter. Negative for HSV1 and HSV2. He denied ever having symptoms.
What confuses me even more is that 10 months after the OB I had a weird open sore next to my vulva that healed in one day (dermatologist said it healed too quickly to be herpes) and that 4 months later I had a confirmed open sore in my labia (GYN said that it was probably herpes). I was suffering from a bad sore throat in both occasions. So something is going on. My GYN thinks it's HSV1, but I guess it would be highly unlikely for me to get it from someone who never had a noticeble cold sore. Besides, my whole family suffers from cold sores, I probably have it since childhood. At the same time, I don't see a possible source for HSV2, I only had those two sex partners in life.
I'll certainly insist in a new PCR swab next time (it's been a year and no similar episodes have occured), just wanted to know if anyone has an idea if this might be herpes or not.
Oh, not sure if it's relevant or not, but I was never on suppressive therapy. I only had episodic treatment with Famvir, which I started after having the PCR swab.
just to clarify - you and your regular partner are hsv2+ or not? not sure if you had a typo or not .
Sorry, major typo. "But after that me and my regular partner had several tests and they all have been HSV1+ and HSV2-."
And just to add: we were tested 1 month post ob, 4 months post ob, 14 months post ob and also recently.
I thought that was a typo. I had just briefly glanced at your last post on the board but didn't think that was what you meant to type.
could this be genital herpes? It could be but odds are it isn't. should the lesions reoccur, certainly be seen within 48 hours of their appearance for a repeat lesion culture and if you can get a dermatology consult while you have them, even better.
could this be genital herpes? It could be but odds are it isn't. should the lesions reoccur, certainly be seen within 48 hours of their appearance for a repeat lesion culture and if you can get a dermatology consult while you have them, even better.
Thanks, Grace. This is certainly all very confusing. I'm told to believe the tests and the PCR, but I also cannot ignore my symptoms. It's not normal to suffer from ulcers in your vulva.
But I guess the odds of me having HSV2 are quite low, right? I calculated that the possibility of two conjugated false-negative HerpeSelect is like...1%. Genital HSV1 seems more likely, but my mom believes I already had cold sores as a child.
I'll certainly follow this with my dermatologist from now on. She talked about aphthous ulcers, Behçet (which I don't think I have), fungal infection, drug allergy, but herpes is still the most common cause for this, so I'm trying to exclude it.
But I guess the odds of me having HSV2 are quite low, right? I calculated that the possibility of two conjugated false-negative HerpeSelect is like...1%. Genital HSV1 seems more likely, but my mom believes I already had cold sores as a child.
I'll certainly follow this with my dermatologist from now on. She talked about aphthous ulcers, Behçet (which I don't think I have), fungal infection, drug allergy, but herpes is still the most common cause for this, so I'm trying to exclude it.
there are all sorts of other issues that can also cause ulcers in the genital area. sometimes getting to the bottom of it all isn't quick or easy.
Grace, just a final question...I've been reading the MedHelp forums (not a good idea, I guess) and I see people talking about HerpeSelect sensitivity, gG deficient strain, etc. And I have a few questions, maybe you can or other member can help me understand it.
I read that HerpeSelect HSV2 IgG has a sensitivity of around 95% - let's say 90%, to be on the safe side. I also found out that a study showed that less then 1% of HSV2 strain were actually gG deficient, so such scenario seems to be a rare event.
Is there an explanation, apart from the gG deficient hypothesis, to explain HerpeSelect lack of sensitivity? Is it also explained by the fact that some people just won't develop enough antibodies? Are there other factors (specially virus related, not host related) that account for the 10% of false-negatives?
Just so you can understand my thinking: I'm trying to estimate the possibility of me having a false-negative for HSV2 when the partner who supposedly gave it to me is also testing negative.The gG deficient hypothesis (unlikely) is virus strain related, so I guess it would explain us both testing negative. But the low antibody thing is not virus related, but rather host related, so it would be highly unlikely that we would be both testing negative in HerpeSelect. Am I missing something?
I'm a rational person...I love numbers. =) Thank you guys again.
I read that HerpeSelect HSV2 IgG has a sensitivity of around 95% - let's say 90%, to be on the safe side. I also found out that a study showed that less then 1% of HSV2 strain were actually gG deficient, so such scenario seems to be a rare event.
Is there an explanation, apart from the gG deficient hypothesis, to explain HerpeSelect lack of sensitivity? Is it also explained by the fact that some people just won't develop enough antibodies? Are there other factors (specially virus related, not host related) that account for the 10% of false-negatives?
Just so you can understand my thinking: I'm trying to estimate the possibility of me having a false-negative for HSV2 when the partner who supposedly gave it to me is also testing negative.The gG deficient hypothesis (unlikely) is virus strain related, so I guess it would explain us both testing negative. But the low antibody thing is not virus related, but rather host related, so it would be highly unlikely that we would be both testing negative in HerpeSelect. Am I missing something?
I'm a rational person...I love numbers. =) Thank you guys again.
the longer you wait, the higher the sensitivity of the test.
as I always tell people, if you've tested negative by 4 months, go dance in the street, not assume that you must be one of the small percentage that doesn't test accurately on the blood tests. it's the same exact advice I'd give to my own children even.
as I always tell people, if you've tested negative by 4 months, go dance in the street, not assume that you must be one of the small percentage that doesn't test accurately on the blood tests. it's the same exact advice I'd give to my own children even.
It's hard to go dancing in the street when your OBGYN insists that you have herpes... =/
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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.
