Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Antibodies

Hello, I was wondering if the body starts making antibodies for herpes right at the time of exposure/infection, or if it starts only once symptoms appear?

So would you only test positive for antibodies if you’ve had symptoms before?

Thanks
1 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
No, if you've been infected, you make antibodies whether you've had symptoms or not.

Many people never have symptoms, or have noticeable symptoms.

If you are testing negative at 12+ weeks past the exposure, you do not have it.
Helpful - 0
14 Comments
Thank you. So pretty much your body starts making them as soon as you contract it.

I had some tingling and have had redness/rashyness down there, but my encounter was low risk and it was the only ive had in 2 years. Got a negative result at about 2 months

Would you say thats good?
It can take up to 12 weeks to develop antibodies, but most people will develop them much sooner. Without knowing your risk activities, it's hard for me to say you're absolutely in the clear.
It was just a handjob at a massage place. Ya never know though those places can be dirty and hear about things being passed around..weird timing
Hand jobs are no risk, and there is no risk from clothing, towels, etc. Anything you hear about places being dirty or whatever has nothing to do with herpes being transmitted by handjobs.

You have no reason to worry or test for anything.
Thanks for your input.

Yeah I just meant like hearing about things getting passed in places like that in general but im assuming those are more risky activities. I agree catching something from a handjob would be insane lol i guess crazier things have happened

I’ll definitely have to just keep on working on figuring out whats going on. I also had a rash of red bumps appear on my side about a month and a half after it. Got a derm appointment today.  

On your side, like your abdomen? That's not herpes. Perhaps you have a fungal infection or something, but I'm glad you have a derm appt today. That's the best option. Let us know. :)
Yeah and alittle upwards on the side of my torso a bit..it didn’t itch or hurt I didn’t even know it was there itll i took my shirt off..i mean it hurt alittle if I accidentally scratched it haha. But thanks again I’ll update ya on what i find out
Hey auntiejessie, so the appointment went well I suppose, or at least he said good things lol

He seems to think im all good. I’ve been being treated for what he said was balanitis for the last few weeks but honestly, it hasn’t gotten rid of it. He says hes not concerned with what he sees and that he doesn’t see anything wrong. Said what he sees on my glans are forcyde spots, and my frenulum is just red and irritated.(but has been for months..)

Kinda worries me cause i know somethings up, i mean it looks obvious to me, not to mention we know our own bodies and how they’re supposed to look and feel when normal. It’s like a rashy look.

I owned up about the encounter so that he had the full context and he said he doesn’t think That encounter would be a concern. He brought up herpetic whitlow but said its just so rare.

That got me thinking about that. I didn’t look at her hands so idk if she had it. But could you enlighten me on what you know about whitlow? What are the odds that someone who gives handjobs to guys all the time would end up getting that? Thats what’s worrying now.

I’ve seen people say ya gotta have an active outbreak with open sores to shed enough to transmit, because the hand skin is too thick.

Man…i know its rare but i cant help but think im the unluckiest dude. Trying to stay relaxed.

I may go to the urologist because i have alot of dribbling going on after urinating ever since this started, and my urethral opening feels very mildly sore after urinating.

Sorry for the novel. I’ll keep ya updated thanks again.
Herpetic whitlow is rare, and usually happens with medical professionals who have their hands in people's mouths (dentists, hygienists, etc.).

It does not shed, because hands are not a mucus membrane.

It is usually very painful, and most people would not be giving handjobs with the hand that has it.

You are not the unluckiest man. You do not defy science and logic. That's your anxiety talking.

Herpes symptoms don't last for months. Balanitis symptoms can, fordyce spots do, Definitely get checked out by a urologist if you think you need to, but it's not herpes causing these symptoms. Some dribbling can be normal, but if it's increasing, it might indicate a prostate issue.

Please, try to let the herpes thing go. It's not what's causing your issues.
Okay thanks, that all
Makes sense.

I do feel that these women wouldn’t let it get in their way of doing it since it seems like thats the only way they make their money. I did a deeper dive on the place after all this started and man I can’t believe i ended up in this place..in basically a jack shack..they’re not legitimate at all and i think they’re just giving handjobs and the “massage” is clearly a front. Very shamed i did that.

But I digress. I appreciate your input as your thoughts on it does seem to be the most likely case.

Thanks again


Any massage place that offers happy endings in the US is not legit at all. That's illegal. Many of the women are being sex trafficked, and while some women are doing it to make money, some are doing it against their will. Some are trying to feed drug habits, some are trying to feed their kids. Or survive. Or all of the above.

You are not nearly the only man who has been to one of these places - this forum is full of them. Now you know, so don't beat yourself up.  



Yeah it puts a pit in my stomach even thinking about that. I can’t believe i was naive enough to think that there could be just a decent place that was independent enough to maybe bend the rules when they decided, but thats not where I went and I honestly shouldn’t even want to go to one even if it were legitimate.

I guess i let the loneliness of the pandemic and not having been with a girl for so long get the best of me. Its definitely not the kind of dude i am to be that dumb. Not the kind of man i want to be.

To that point of potentially doing it against their will, thats kind of what i was thinking as far as, them not letting whitlow on there fingers stop them from doing cause well, not a choice.

Ill do my best at putting it behind me but in the meantime, gotta figure out what’s causing me discomfort so i can officially move forward.
By the way, i dont mean to use the pandemic as an excuse cause its certainly not. I know better.
You don't have to justify to us. We don't judge here. :)

And while she may have been forced to work, she could use her other hand, or cover a sore with a bandaid or two, preventing infection on an open sore for her, and transmission for you.

You really can let herpes go. If you find out there's something urological, we have a Urology forum - https://www.medhelp.org/forums/Urology/show/52
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
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.