herpes antibodies

[ttt157]

I recently found out that my boyfriend is hsv two positive with a positive herpes culture. He admits to cheating on me about two months ago and then a month ago (but who really knows for sure at this point), but he thinks the contact a month ago gave him herpes because about five days after this contact he broke out in genital sores which tested positive for herpes two and he also felt lousy (said condom broke). About two weeks after the outbreak he had blood tests which were positive for IgG4 hsv at 3.83 and IgM 4.47. I WAS his girlfriend, had no prior sexual contacts before him, and am awaiting my own blood tests. My doctors say his test indicates both recent and past herpes infections. What are the chances that his positive igM and igG antibody results are the result of the exposure a month ago when he got the subsequent sores and I am safe? What are the chances that I am infected?

[ttt157]

I just found out that my blood tests are all negative!

Thank you so much for your advice on the tests. And FYI, I dumped the jerk 10 days ago when I found out he cheated.

[gracefromHHP]

You could.  It's impossible to tell though how long you've been infected from a blood test. At this point the best thing to do is to wait for your own test results to come back and then go from there.

grace

[ttt157]

Okay I will ask him. But meanwhile, please tell me if it's possible to have elevated igG antibodies (igg4hsd 3.83) after only 16 or 17 days of his outbreak with the culture positive lesions? (Maybe 21 days after infection?)

[gracefromHHP]

Next time you talk to him, ask.

grace aka betsyb1967 at webmd

[ttt157]

If my boyfriend got herpes from the sex a month ago (five days before he broke out in lesions) then I think I might be safe, because  we live in different places and I have not had sex with him this past month. I hope, anyway. That's why I really hoped his blood tests pointed that out. But what you're saying is that I can't really be sure, because the igG is elevated too and it was drawn two weeks after his break out.

And I don't know whether it was a combined hsv igg or a hsv2 igg.

[gracefromHHP]

Do you know if that's just a hsv2 igg of 3.83 or was it a combined hsv igg?

the igm is a horrible test for herpes and we never recommend having it drawn. You can't say that someone has both recent herpes infections and a past herpes infection either. totally ignore the igm tests and neither of you should ever have them drawn again.


If this is really a newly acquired hsv2 infection for your man then you are at higher risk of being infected with hsv2 yourself. if you are still together at this point, avoid sex until you have your own results and then talk together about what to do next. I highly recommend he start daily suppressive therapy if you stick together as well as use condoms. also make sure he gets a full std screening done too.  

the herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com is a terrific and free resource for the both of you for more reading too.

grace