Herpes after 1 time unprotected sex

I had unprotected sex with a male april 29, 2007 (I am female.
I took an hsv1 and hsv2 test with labcorp last wednesday.  Both test came back positive
HSV 1 and 2-specific ab, igG HSV II IgC, Type Spec
Result 2.1 my HSV1 IgG, Type Spec
Result 5.8. 4 days later on saturday 07/28/07 I took an biokit and had a physical exam. the Infectious Disease doctor told me that It did not look like I had herpes and my test return negative.  However I was not at peace still and yesterday 08/02/08 had another physical exam with a dermatologies(he said he did not see any sings of herpes either) and another biokit and it came back positive, however it was with a really really faint pink dot which i was told by biokit manufactuer that it should of probably have been enterpreted as a negative but i dont know.  I went back to the first doctor that did my 1st biokit and he got upset and said why i had gone somewhere else, since he had already confirmed my negative. I told the man that i was with 13 weeks that I had received two positives hsv-2 and he freaked out, because he said he had never experience anything down there and to his knowledge he did not have anything. I also had my husband of 12 years get a biokit yesterday and it came back negative. What do you think my chances are of being hsv2 positive or possibly have gotten it from 1 time unprotected sex with someone that was not showing any evidence of herpes 13 weeks ago.

Thank you doctor

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your question is well timed!  At a major international STD research meeting the past few days (which I chaired, by the way - see www.isstdr.org) there were some new research presentations and symposia on HSV antibody testing, and one of them addressed exactly your situation.  The consensus is that very faint 'positive' results on the Biokit USA test are false--i.e., no different than a negative test.  Therefore, you have had two negative Biokit results.  It has long been known that when HSV-2 is weakly positive, like your 2.1 result, it often is false, especially when the HSV-1 test is positive.

Bottom line:  You are not infected with HSV-2.  It was a mistake for you to be tested at all; the HSV-2 blood tests are intended only for people at particularly high risk of genital herpes; they are not designed for testing asymptomatic persons at low risk.  Having unprotected sex but no symptoms is not a valid reason for HSV testing.  If you had developed symptoms suggesting herpes, or if you knew your partner had it, testing would have made sense.  I hope others learn from your experience and avoid the temptation.

Anyway, you can relax.  You have HSV-1 (probably since childhood) but not HSV-2.

Good luck-- HHH, MD

[stupid28]

Thank you so much doctor.

I have not been able to function well since I committed this adultery.  First it was with HIV (I had 8 oraquick test and 1 blood test in the 13 weeks window period)  then I jumped into the Herpes fright at 13 weeks. spent around $1500.00 in herpes test and panicked everyone around me.

Thank you and God Bless you!

[stupid28]

[stupid28]

Dear Doctor I sorry to be a pest this is my last question:


The reason I started all this testing is because I had a pimple appear 12 weeks after exposure.  However, both doctors (Infectious Disease and Dermatologist) told me it did not look like herpes.  Do you think that the dermatologist who did the second biokit told me it was positive because he did not know that a faint dot means negative?  Should I have a Western Blot Done?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

That your genital pimple appeared 12 weeks after exposure is evidence against herpes, not for it; the first symptoms of new herpes infections usually begin 3-10 days after exposure.  Your description of your dermatologist's reasoning sound accurate; the information about faint Biokit results is brand new, not yet appearing in the medical literature.  You don't need a Western blot, but it's fine with me if you decide to do it anyway.