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Herpes - your assessment
Hello Doctor(s),
following a low risk exposure (unprotected fellatio) I decided to get tested at 45 days post exposure.
actually, my physician decided (for me) what tests to undergo.
He is off duty for the next 2 weeks so this is why I would like to have your advices on this :
HIV1/2 AB : negative (had had a first Duo testing at 4 weeks too)
Syph : 0.1 on a lab scale between 0 and 1.1
-> is this positive ?
HBC : negative
chlam and gono through urine test were negative too but the chlam IGA via blood sample is still ongoing.
;;; but ...
Herpes simplex 1/2 IGG shows 1.2 on a lab scale (read "standards") from 0 to 1.1
Does this mean :
1/ I have Herpes (looks like it) ?
2/ if so, what about my intercourses with my partner
3/ and bottom line, is there anything to do to cure this ?
Many thanks and best wishes.
following a low risk exposure (unprotected fellatio) I decided to get tested at 45 days post exposure.
actually, my physician decided (for me) what tests to undergo.
He is off duty for the next 2 weeks so this is why I would like to have your advices on this :
HIV1/2 AB : negative (had had a first Duo testing at 4 weeks too)
Syph : 0.1 on a lab scale between 0 and 1.1
-> is this positive ?
HBC : negative
chlam and gono through urine test were negative too but the chlam IGA via blood sample is still ongoing.
;;; but ...
Herpes simplex 1/2 IGG shows 1.2 on a lab scale (read "standards") from 0 to 1.1
Does this mean :
1/ I have Herpes (looks like it) ?
2/ if so, what about my intercourses with my partner
3/ and bottom line, is there anything to do to cure this ?
Many thanks and best wishes.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for the clarification. Thanks for the thanks about the forum.
1) Yes, you should ask the doc who did the test for the differential results for HSV-1 and 2. If not done, your probably did not have a type-specific antibody test, which is what is needed.
2) Yes, that is possible. But it doesn't apply if it was not a type-specific test.
3) Sorry, I cannot recommend any specific treatment, not knowing what you have. That includes neither endorsing (nor condemning) the recommendation you apparently received from Dr. GG. Since he examined your posted photos and I have not, I have even less understanding of the possibities here. You'll have to clarify it on the other forum.
1) Yes, you should ask the doc who did the test for the differential results for HSV-1 and 2. If not done, your probably did not have a type-specific antibody test, which is what is needed.
2) Yes, that is possible. But it doesn't apply if it was not a type-specific test.
3) Sorry, I cannot recommend any specific treatment, not knowing what you have. That includes neither endorsing (nor condemning) the recommendation you apparently received from Dr. GG. Since he examined your posted photos and I have not, I have even less understanding of the possibities here. You'll have to clarify it on the other forum.
Hello Doctor Handsfield,
First of all thank you for your reply.
That said, allow me to clear a few things out.
I firstly posted by mistake on the international STD expert forum (I have a lot of respect for the M.D Cummings and Gonzalez) but I know out the readings here that you and Dr. Hook reply usually much faster (again with all due respect to STD International).
To the facts now (whilst my personal MD is still absent) :
1/ do I need to ask the lab for clarification between type 1 and 2 (as they mixed both), or is it useless ?
2/ at exposure + 6 weeks, can it be that Herpes might not have reached its max level yet ?
3/ could you advice a generic name or base-molecule cream that I could use as the one adviced on the other international forum is nowhere to be found in my country.
Many, many thanks for your precious support to me and xxxx others on this and other forums. Glad to have people like you out there.
First of all thank you for your reply.
That said, allow me to clear a few things out.
I firstly posted by mistake on the international STD expert forum (I have a lot of respect for the M.D Cummings and Gonzalez) but I know out the readings here that you and Dr. Hook reply usually much faster (again with all due respect to STD International).
To the facts now (whilst my personal MD is still absent) :
1/ do I need to ask the lab for clarification between type 1 and 2 (as they mixed both), or is it useless ?
2/ at exposure + 6 weeks, can it be that Herpes might not have reached its max level yet ?
3/ could you advice a generic name or base-molecule cream that I could use as the one adviced on the other international forum is nowhere to be found in my country.
Many, many thanks for your precious support to me and xxxx others on this and other forums. Glad to have people like you out there.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I reviewed your thread on the HIV/STD international forum. We discourage MedHelp users from seeking opinions about the same questions on more than one professionally moderated forums. Dr. Hook's and my opinions rarely differ from those on the international site, and where minor differences exist, we decline to be drawn into discussions of possible disagreement.
Based on the reply from Dr. Gonzalez-Garcia, it seems clear you have nonspecific or perhaps yeast balanitis and not herpes. Your HSV blood test is technically positive, but very weak; most infected people have values of 3.5 and higher. However, I am confused by the apparent single test value for both HSV-1 and 2; normally separate values are reported for each herpes type. It is conceivable that you are in the process of developing HSV antibodies and that a repeat test in a few weeks will be more strongly positive. But based on the low risk nature of the exposure and Dr. GG's judgment about the cause of your penile symptoms, I do not expect the blood test to change. Further, it is not possible that herpes would cause a rash or redness of your penis that persists unchanged for more than 2-3 weeks.
The other lab tests you report are all negative. Chlamydia blood tests are meaningless and should be ignored.
Therefore, the direct responses to your questions are:
1) I doubt you have herpes or any other STD.
2) Most likely you can safetly continue unprotected sex with your partner. However, no distant online source can guarantee someone isn't infected with something.
3) You should follow the advice from Dr. GG. If such self-treatment doesn't clear up the problem, you will need to see a health care provider in person for proper evaluation and treatment.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Based on the reply from Dr. Gonzalez-Garcia, it seems clear you have nonspecific or perhaps yeast balanitis and not herpes. Your HSV blood test is technically positive, but very weak; most infected people have values of 3.5 and higher. However, I am confused by the apparent single test value for both HSV-1 and 2; normally separate values are reported for each herpes type. It is conceivable that you are in the process of developing HSV antibodies and that a repeat test in a few weeks will be more strongly positive. But based on the low risk nature of the exposure and Dr. GG's judgment about the cause of your penile symptoms, I do not expect the blood test to change. Further, it is not possible that herpes would cause a rash or redness of your penis that persists unchanged for more than 2-3 weeks.
The other lab tests you report are all negative. Chlamydia blood tests are meaningless and should be ignored.
Therefore, the direct responses to your questions are:
1) I doubt you have herpes or any other STD.
2) Most likely you can safetly continue unprotected sex with your partner. However, no distant online source can guarantee someone isn't infected with something.
3) You should follow the advice from Dr. GG. If such self-treatment doesn't clear up the problem, you will need to see a health care provider in person for proper evaluation and treatment.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs 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.
