Aa
Possible infection with known positive female
I had 2 protected sexual encounters with a known hsv-2 positive female and have been having a little anxiety over the whole thing. I know my odds are low for infection but had some questions regarding the matter. Does sexual position play into chances? I tried to avoid her being on top much as i thought that might add to friction and contact. First encounter was may 29 and second was June 12. I have had no obvious signs of an OB but I've read a lot about asymptomatic people and it just adds to my confusion. Just wondering how common it truly is to have typical symptoms after first time infection? Do most people have OBs or at least would notice them if they knew what to look for? Is testing recommended for my situation?
COMMUNITY LEADER
There haven't been any studies done on positions and risk for herpes transmission so I can't really answer that question with any kind of certainty.
I can tell you about transmission rates. I know you know it's low, but I wonder if you know how low it is.
Assuming you were in a relationship with her (and you may be):
Ghsv2 transmission, female to male, over the course of a year, assuming sex 2-3 times a week:
Only avoiding sex during an outbreak - 4-5%
Adding condoms OR daily suppression - 2-3%
Adding condoms AND daily suppression - 1-2%
If you just had a one time, protected encounter with her, your chance of getting herpes from her is about 1 in 10,000.
Is she on daily suppression? If this someone you'd like to continue to see, perhaps she'd consider it.
For now, I don't think you have a lot to worry about, and I'd say testing isn't warranted unless you get symptoms. Does she know what type she has genitally? As you know, just because it's genital doesn't mean it's genital type 2. It could be genital type 1, as a result of someone with oral hsv1 giving her oral sex. If she has ghsv1, and you have oral hsv1, you can't get ghsv1.
If she doesn't know, she can get an IgG type specific blood test to find out. If she turns out to have hsv2, there are ways to reduce transmission if you are interested in a relationship with her.
I can tell you about transmission rates. I know you know it's low, but I wonder if you know how low it is.
Assuming you were in a relationship with her (and you may be):
Ghsv2 transmission, female to male, over the course of a year, assuming sex 2-3 times a week:
Only avoiding sex during an outbreak - 4-5%
Adding condoms OR daily suppression - 2-3%
Adding condoms AND daily suppression - 1-2%
If you just had a one time, protected encounter with her, your chance of getting herpes from her is about 1 in 10,000.
Is she on daily suppression? If this someone you'd like to continue to see, perhaps she'd consider it.
For now, I don't think you have a lot to worry about, and I'd say testing isn't warranted unless you get symptoms. Does she know what type she has genitally? As you know, just because it's genital doesn't mean it's genital type 2. It could be genital type 1, as a result of someone with oral hsv1 giving her oral sex. If she has ghsv1, and you have oral hsv1, you can't get ghsv1.
If she doesn't know, she can get an IgG type specific blood test to find out. If she turns out to have hsv2, there are ways to reduce transmission if you are interested in a relationship with her.
5 Comments
And I didn't really answer your questions, I'm sorry.
There was a study done awhile ago that "concluded" that 90% of people with hsv2 didn't know they had it. They did this by testing random women at an GYN office. Turns out, though, that we now know that people getting under a 3.5 on the hsv2 IgG need to have those results confirmed because they could be false positives. Because of that, we don't actually know how many are truly asymptomatic, how many of those were false positives, and how many may have been positive but had minor symptoms but attributed it to things like yeast infections.
You have hsv1 already, meaning you wouldn't have a true primary, which is the big, bad mean first outbreak. That happens because a person has no hsv antibodies to help keep things in check. You would likely still have an outbreak, it just might not cause blisters as big or as widespread, maybe not as severe muscle aches or fever, if any, etc. It might also be shorter in duration.
Symptoms can appear anywhere from 2-20 days after infection, and the average is 4 days.
Does that help?
There was a study done awhile ago that "concluded" that 90% of people with hsv2 didn't know they had it. They did this by testing random women at an GYN office. Turns out, though, that we now know that people getting under a 3.5 on the hsv2 IgG need to have those results confirmed because they could be false positives. Because of that, we don't actually know how many are truly asymptomatic, how many of those were false positives, and how many may have been positive but had minor symptoms but attributed it to things like yeast infections.
You have hsv1 already, meaning you wouldn't have a true primary, which is the big, bad mean first outbreak. That happens because a person has no hsv antibodies to help keep things in check. You would likely still have an outbreak, it just might not cause blisters as big or as widespread, maybe not as severe muscle aches or fever, if any, etc. It might also be shorter in duration.
Symptoms can appear anywhere from 2-20 days after infection, and the average is 4 days.
Does that help?
Thank you for the info. I don't know for sure what type she had genitally. She said her ex had frequent OBs on his genitals and she got it that way. I'm assuming type 2 since that's more likely. She's not on any viral suppressives. She also stated after initial infection she never had an OB. This was someone I've considered a relationship with this person but after the second sexual encounter I've realised my anxiety about how things will be long term is gonna prevent me from feeling fully comfortable which i know is not very rational but it's how i feel. I think even in the absence of symptoms i might do testing, just to bring my mind ease. Do you know why some std testing sites state testing is conclusive at 4-6 weeks but everything on this forum states about 12 weeks?
He sounds like he has ghsv2, but if she's never had another outbreak, it would be worth her testing to see if she has ghsv1. It's possible that he has both hsv1 and hsv2, and she got hsv1 from him, but obviously, only testing would show what she has.
I can't speak to why STD testing sites state 4-6 weeks, unless they do the IgM, which is terribly unreliable and shouldn't be one on adults. The IgM is designed to look for antibodies correlated with new infections. These "new" antibodies fade after a few weeks, which would mean that if the test were accurate, it would be conclusive at 4-6 weeks. For many illnesses, it works. It just doesn't with herpes. It's wrong at least as often as it's right.
What sites are you referring to?
The IgG looks for established infections. Those antibodies can take up to 12 weeks to appear, though 70% will by 6 weeks.
I think it's a shame that your anxiety won't let you feel fully comfortable, but I think it's good that you realize it, and only ask that when you tell her - and please don't ghost her, since seeing her naked means that she at least deserves to know that you are no longer interested - that you be gentle.
Remember that even if you'd been in a long term relationship, you'd have a 97-98% chance of NOT getting it from her over the course of a year. You have a higher chance of getting someone pregnant while using a condom, or getting someone pregnant if she's on the pill and she doesn't use it perfectly (taking it at the same time daily, missing pills, not using a backup when she is on antibiotics, etc.). I say that not to convince you to be in a relationship with her, but so you'll have some info in case you need it if anxiety ramps up while you wait to test.
The IgG looks for established infections
I can't speak to why STD testing sites state 4-6 weeks, unless they do the IgM, which is terribly unreliable and shouldn't be one on adults. The IgM is designed to look for antibodies correlated with new infections. These "new" antibodies fade after a few weeks, which would mean that if the test were accurate, it would be conclusive at 4-6 weeks. For many illnesses, it works. It just doesn't with herpes. It's wrong at least as often as it's right.
What sites are you referring to?
The IgG looks for established infections. Those antibodies can take up to 12 weeks to appear, though 70% will by 6 weeks.
I think it's a shame that your anxiety won't let you feel fully comfortable, but I think it's good that you realize it, and only ask that when you tell her - and please don't ghost her, since seeing her naked means that she at least deserves to know that you are no longer interested - that you be gentle.
Remember that even if you'd been in a long term relationship, you'd have a 97-98% chance of NOT getting it from her over the course of a year. You have a higher chance of getting someone pregnant while using a condom, or getting someone pregnant if she's on the pill and she doesn't use it perfectly (taking it at the same time daily, missing pills, not using a backup when she is on antibiotics, etc.). I say that not to convince you to be in a relationship with her, but so you'll have some info in case you need it if anxiety ramps up while you wait to test.
The IgG looks for established infections
It's std check.com they use the Chemiluminescence immunoassay test
Okay, this is really interesting.
I have never seen that on their site. I don't know if it's new, or I've just missed it. Every study I've seen says 70% will develop antibodies by 6 weeks, and the rest by 12 weeks. Terri Warren, one of the world's leading experts, is still using those same stats. If there is a new study, I can't find it, and I'd be really surprised if Terri doesn't know about it.
The method of testing - CLIO vs ELISA for the IgG - doesn't matter so much. They are both very accurate. What matters is how fast your body develops antibodies, and that doesn't change. Testing can change, and they can find new ways to detect things, but the CLIO has been around for awhile.
Your risk is low enough - protected sex - that if you're negative at 6 weeks without symptoms - I'd say you're fine.
I have never seen that on their site. I don't know if it's new, or I've just missed it. Every study I've seen says 70% will develop antibodies by 6 weeks, and the rest by 12 weeks. Terri Warren, one of the world's leading experts, is still using those same stats. If there is a new study, I can't find it, and I'd be really surprised if Terri doesn't know about it.
The method of testing - CLIO vs ELISA for the IgG - doesn't matter so much. They are both very accurate. What matters is how fast your body develops antibodies, and that doesn't change. Testing can change, and they can find new ways to detect things, but the CLIO has been around for awhile.
Your risk is low enough - protected sex - that if you're negative at 6 weeks without symptoms - I'd say you're fine.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
