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Follow Up on HSV 2 risk assessment
Hi doctor. This is a follow up to the discussion we had going here: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Risk-assessment-for-herpes/show/1525385
First, thank you for your patience. The woman I've been involved with let me know that the HSV 2 she was diagnosed with is likely oral, or at least based on her cheek/face.
The way she came to know she had HSV 2 was that she was tested during what her doctor thought was a shingles outbreak two months ago. The doctor told her yes, she had shingles, but she also had HSV2. Now, since she and I have been seeing each other, she went back to her doctor for a follow up test (results pending) and the doctor said what she thought had been shingles was likely a herpes outbreak.
We've been playing it safe with the assumption that her HSV 2 was likely below the waist. But we've been kissing like crazy and definitely had lots of face to face skin contact.
Would this change your original risk assessment? And with this new information (assuming the second test returns positive) is there anything else we can do to be safer?
First, thank you for your patience. The woman I've been involved with let me know that the HSV 2 she was diagnosed with is likely oral, or at least based on her cheek/face.
The way she came to know she had HSV 2 was that she was tested during what her doctor thought was a shingles outbreak two months ago. The doctor told her yes, she had shingles, but she also had HSV2. Now, since she and I have been seeing each other, she went back to her doctor for a follow up test (results pending) and the doctor said what she thought had been shingles was likely a herpes outbreak.
We've been playing it safe with the assumption that her HSV 2 was likely below the waist. But we've been kissing like crazy and definitely had lots of face to face skin contact.
Would this change your original risk assessment? And with this new information (assuming the second test returns positive) is there anything else we can do to be safer?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I totally agree with Dr. Handsfield. And yes, I think her doctor jumped to a conclusion. between test and mouth sore. If there is any question about her test being a false positive, then I would suggest that she acquire a herpes western blot antibody test through Quest labs, the code is 34534.
Terri
Terri
After a bit of digging, I came across this older post from HHH, which may have some bearing:
"Most important, there is no risk of HSV-2 infection from kissing. Although it is theoretically possible to get either HSV type at any anatomic site, oral HSV-2 infection is exceedingly rare. You can safely assume your GF's HSV-2 infection is strictly genital. If it happens that your GF also has (oral) HSV-1 and you do not, then there is a potential risk you could acquire genital herpes due to HSV-1. But that is an unlikely outcome; statistically speaking, the odds are strong you already are HSV-1-positive, as most people are. " (http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/cross-contagion-of-HSV-type-1-and-2/show/246230)
At heart, I think the physician involved with my partner isn't an expert, is making possibly incorrect assumptions (patient has some sort of outbreak on cheek, HSV test comes back positive for HSV 2, ergo she has HSV 2 on her face) when it could be an HSV 2 genital infection, and a case of HSV 1 or genuine shingles on the cheek.
OR -- in the best of all worlds -- the initial test was a false positive for HSV 2, my partner has, perhaps, HSV 1, and had either that or a shingles outbreak on her face.
Lord, these scenarios get complicated.
"Most important, there is no risk of HSV-2 infection from kissing. Although it is theoretically possible to get either HSV type at any anatomic site, oral HSV-2 infection is exceedingly rare. You can safely assume your GF's HSV-2 infection is strictly genital. If it happens that your GF also has (oral) HSV-1 and you do not, then there is a potential risk you could acquire genital herpes due to HSV-1. But that is an unlikely outcome; statistically speaking, the odds are strong you already are HSV-1-positive, as most people are. " (http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/cross-contagion-of-HSV-type-1-and-2/show/246230)
At heart, I think the physician involved with my partner isn't an expert, is making possibly incorrect assumptions (patient has some sort of outbreak on cheek, HSV test comes back positive for HSV 2, ergo she has HSV 2 on her face) when it could be an HSV 2 genital infection, and a case of HSV 1 or genuine shingles on the cheek.
OR -- in the best of all worlds -- the initial test was a false positive for HSV 2, my partner has, perhaps, HSV 1, and had either that or a shingles outbreak on her face.
Lord, these scenarios get complicated.
Thank you, but if it is oral or on her face?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If she has genital infection, then you run no risk of infection from the behaviors you're engaging in - kissing and genital to hand contact.
Does she have HSV 1?
Terri
Does she have HSV 1?
Terri
Thank you for the reply. On her cheek.... I don't have the numbers on the first test nor do I know what sort of test it was. We will get them for the second test for sure.
What I'd really like to know is the risk of infection I'm running for the behavior I described. No intercourse, though hand to genital contact, plus lots of kissing.
Strangely if she does have hsv 2, seems better if its not on her face or mouth as we kiss far more than anything else.
What I'd really like to know is the risk of infection I'm running for the behavior I described. No intercourse, though hand to genital contact, plus lots of kissing.
Strangely if she does have hsv 2, seems better if its not on her face or mouth as we kiss far more than anything else.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Where was the supposed outbreak of shingles?
It is standard to assume that someone who is HSV 2 positive is infected genitally, at least, unless there is a swab test from some other nerve group that is positive for HSV 2. Even in that case, it doesn't mean that someone is not genitally infected. The only time we would know that someone who is HSV 2 positive has non-genital infection would be if they have never in their lives had intercourse of any kind, nor received oral sex nor rubbed genitals with someone else.
What was the numeric value on her ELISA test?
Terri
It is standard to assume that someone who is HSV 2 positive is infected genitally, at least, unless there is a swab test from some other nerve group that is positive for HSV 2. Even in that case, it doesn't mean that someone is not genitally infected. The only time we would know that someone who is HSV 2 positive has non-genital infection would be if they have never in their lives had intercourse of any kind, nor received oral sex nor rubbed genitals with someone else.
What was the numeric value on her ELISA test?
Terri
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
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.
