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STDs  (Expert Forum)
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Herpes Transmission/clothing
Answered by
University of Washington Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.

Herpes Transmission/clothing

by healthrequest, Jun 17, 2007 12:00AM
1) While my boyfriend was lying on top of me, we both had our jeans on, he ‘came’ and his ejaculate/semen/body fluids went through his jeans and through my jeans onto my skin in the pubic/genital area.  Assuming the worst case scenario that he had active Herpes simplex shedding at the time, what is the risk of having contracted Herpes Simplex Virus from this exposure onto my skin from his body fluids?

2) I had the HerpesSelect test after 11 weeks and it was negative for HSV I and II.

3) I had the HSV Elisa test at 20 weeks for HSV I and II, also negative. Do you know if BioRef Lab uses HerpesSelect (they did the second test as ordered by the doctor)? Does it matter which Elisa test was done for better accuracy?

4) What's the chance of a false negative after these tests?

by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Jun 17, 2007 12:00AM
I stopped reading after the first half of the first sentence.  You cannot catch any STD through clothing.

1) There was no risk despite the 'worst case scenario' you cite.

2,3) It was a waste of money, time, and energy to have HSV testing on account of this event, and certainly having more than one of them was beyond reason.  But you can rely on the negative results.

4) In the situation you describe, there is no possibility of a false negative test result

HHH, MD
Member Comments (5)

by healthrequest, Jun 17, 2007 12:00AM
To: Addendum:
Are there any other STD's I need to worry about from this exposure, albeit through clothing?
Thank you for listening to my concerns.

by ali-jay, Jun 17, 2007 12:00AM
To: healthrequest
I really don't think you have anything to worry about. STDs such as herpes are only transmitted from skin-to-skin contact, and even then, the chances of you not becoming infected are far greater than the contrary.

However, if you are thinking of taking things further with your partner, I would definitely suggest that your boyfriend get tested. Herpes is very common, - and in most cases nothing to be alarmed over. But wouldn't it be better to be sure ?

The doctor will be able to reassure you.

Hope this helps,

AJ

by monkeyflower, Jun 17, 2007 12:00AM
No one EVER got any STD through clothing. You have nothing to worry about.

by healthrequest, Jun 17, 2007 12:00AM
Thank you for the response. I was concerned that the infectious Herpes virus could make it through the clothes/fabric along with the fluids that reached to my skin. Not possible?

by Sweety1019, Mar 20, 2008 04:40PM
A related discussion, Tests was started.
Continue discussion
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