Exposed to HSV2-terribly worried

[delpaxton]

I had a one-time encounter with a woman a few months ago. We had oral and intercourse, both with with a condom. She got in touch with me to tell me she was diagnosed with genital herpes a month or so after we were together. I've never had an sti and have had no symptoms or outbreaks in the 4 months since we were together.

I have since started a relationship with someone I care for and see often. I'm terribly worried I have put her at risk knowing I was exposed but might not have symptoms. We have had both protected and unprotected sex. What are the chances I was infected? What are the chances I've infected my partner? I'll be going to get tested tomorrow and hope I haven't acquired or passed on a problem. Thanks for any help.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I would definitely advise getting the HSV 2 antibody test, yes.  WE use them all the time and consider them quite accurate, albeit not perfect.

Terri

[delpaxton]

Thanks for your response Terri. Firstly, I've already done what you suggested vis a vis my current partner. Also, I visited the sti/infectious diseases clinic of a major hospital here in Canada. The doc there did an exam and ran all the sti they do (I'll get results in a week or so). At this hospital they do not to blood test for HSV2. They consider it too unreliable, too many false positives/negatives. There are other clinics here that do it.

He did tell me though that after 4 months with no symptoms, our using a condom for both oral and intercourse, he considered the chances of my having herpes or passing it on to be extremely low. The nurse who took my blood afterwards for the other tests also said in her experience (she only works in the sti clinic) given the facts I had little to worry about. How do the online tests work? And would you advise getting the HSV2 test at another clinic?

Thanks for your help.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Hmmmm, I'm not sure I would play it that way.  My advice would be to tell her about the phone call from the previous partner and stop having genital to genital or genital to mouth contact.  I think you know that's the right thing to do at this point.  Getting a herpes IgG test online is very easy, or maybe you can get in for testing with your regular provider.  Did the previous partner tell you if she has HSV 1 or HSV 2?  That's important.

Terri

[delpaxton]

By the way (if this info will help) the woman I've currently been seeing has had no symptoms. We first became intimate about 7 weeks ago. I would prefer not to alarm her, so unless I get a positive test result I won't talk to her about this just yet. Thanks.