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HSV2 from Fallatio
Dear Doctor,
I have been in my relationship for 17 years, I have had sex with just one women (or oral) until this past May 29th. I was at a strip club and the overzealous lap dance turned into fallatio, short term but enough for skin contact. The next day after severe guilt and remorse, turned to fear in two days. It was all the signs of gonorrhea, except white fluid (I had once in college). Being the coward I told no one, but had access to take Augmentin (took 3 grams). No help.
By the end of the week I started thinking of all the above STDs. So I had a complete test HIV, Herpes 1 and 2, Clamydia, Hep B, Gonorrhea and Syphillis. Refraining from sex for the obvious reasons. So yesterday HIV, HEP C and Clamydia were negative. Today Gonnorhea and Syphillis negative, Herpes 2 positive and still waiting on Herpes 1. I am fairly confident that will be positive, I've had cold sores (undiagnosed) and my wife has diagnosed HSV1.
I've read your columns and I know nothing is 100% sure, But if I receive fallatio I can understand genital herpes symptoms from HSV1, but what are the odds for HSV2. Also when I spoke to the people that administer the tests in the morning the herpes test would be non-specific. It takes 6 weeks and a second test to be more definative. But when I called they said after 72 hours of exposure the HSV1 and HSV2 can be determined.
Is this true?
tm4211
I have been in my relationship for 17 years, I have had sex with just one women (or oral) until this past May 29th. I was at a strip club and the overzealous lap dance turned into fallatio, short term but enough for skin contact. The next day after severe guilt and remorse, turned to fear in two days. It was all the signs of gonorrhea, except white fluid (I had once in college). Being the coward I told no one, but had access to take Augmentin (took 3 grams). No help.
By the end of the week I started thinking of all the above STDs. So I had a complete test HIV, Herpes 1 and 2, Clamydia, Hep B, Gonorrhea and Syphillis. Refraining from sex for the obvious reasons. So yesterday HIV, HEP C and Clamydia were negative. Today Gonnorhea and Syphillis negative, Herpes 2 positive and still waiting on Herpes 1. I am fairly confident that will be positive, I've had cold sores (undiagnosed) and my wife has diagnosed HSV1.
I've read your columns and I know nothing is 100% sure, But if I receive fallatio I can understand genital herpes symptoms from HSV1, but what are the odds for HSV2. Also when I spoke to the people that administer the tests in the morning the herpes test would be non-specific. It takes 6 weeks and a second test to be more definative. But when I called they said after 72 hours of exposure the HSV1 and HSV2 can be determined.
Is this true?
tm4211
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You are infected with HSV-1, like half the US population. You probably have had it since childhood. Your HSV-2 result is weakly positive, but at such a low level that it probably doesn't mean anything.
The HSV blood test cannot pick up an infection acquired only 11 days previously. But as I said above, you cannot catch HSV-2 by fellatio, so it doesn't matter. Unless you develop symptoms of herpes, you don't need any further testing.
The HSV blood test cannot pick up an infection acquired only 11 days previously. But as I said above, you cannot catch HSV-2 by fellatio, so it doesn't matter. Unless you develop symptoms of herpes, you don't need any further testing.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is rare to catch HSV-2 by receiving oral sex, if it occurs at all. This is because oral infection with HSV-2 is uncommon. In addition, HSV-2 antibody cannot develop in under 10 days. (The testing staff were dead wrong about tests becoming positive within 72 hours of infection. No way.) Therefore, if your HSV-2 antibody test in fact is positive, your infection did not come from the oral sex episode on May 29.
It would be helpful to know more detail about your positive HSV-2 test result. I'm not sure what the testing staff meant about "nonspecific" test results. Most labs and herpes-knowledbeable clinicians now use the newer, truly type specific antibody tests. However, false positive results for HSV-2 can still occur, and maybe that is what they meant. In particular, if your HSV-2 result is low positive (i.e., with an ELISA ratio between 1.1 and 3.4), it might be false.
It sounds like you might have gone to a testing service that you found online or in the phone book. If so, it was a bad move. It's always better to see a knowledgeable clinician. Such a person would have recommended against many of the tests you had, as I would have. It was a waste of money and energy to be tested for hepatitis of any type (Hep C isn't even sexually transmitted, except occasionally between gay men); and it was too soon to test for HSV, syphilis, or HIV. On top of that, since you apparently took the Augmentin before you were tested, your tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia were useless; even if you had been infected, the tests would have been negative. Finally, chlamydia is never acquired by oral sex.
In other words, every single test you had was unnecessary or otherwise invalid. It all could have been avoided if you had instead gone to an STD clinic or other provider with a little knowledge about STDs. On top of that, as I already implied, "testing staff" often provide inaccurate information about the tests they do. Typically they are trained to collect blood and other specimens, and little else.
Back to the original question: Come back with the details of your HSV-1 and HSV-2 test results when you receive them, including the ELISA ratio numbers. Then I will provide more accurate information about whether you are infected with either of those viruses. But for now, you can know that if anything at all turns up positive, it preceded the oral sex event.
And finally, such brief oral exposure -- barely enough to have a little "skin contact" -- probably was zero risk for any infection of any kind. That sort of information also could have been availble through an experienced clinician.
I don't mean to come down on you so hard. But this is an important lesson for all forum users who are interested in STD testing.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
It would be helpful to know more detail about your positive HSV-2 test result. I'm not sure what the testing staff meant about "nonspecific" test results. Most labs and herpes-knowledbeable clinicians now use the newer, truly type specific antibody tests. However, false positive results for HSV-2 can still occur, and maybe that is what they meant. In particular, if your HSV-2 result is low positive (i.e., with an ELISA ratio between 1.1 and 3.4), it might be false.
It sounds like you might have gone to a testing service that you found online or in the phone book. If so, it was a bad move. It's always better to see a knowledgeable clinician. Such a person would have recommended against many of the tests you had, as I would have. It was a waste of money and energy to be tested for hepatitis of any type (Hep C isn't even sexually transmitted, except occasionally between gay men); and it was too soon to test for HSV, syphilis, or HIV. On top of that, since you apparently took the Augmentin before you were tested, your tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia were useless; even if you had been infected, the tests would have been negative. Finally, chlamydia is never acquired by oral sex.
In other words, every single test you had was unnecessary or otherwise invalid. It all could have been avoided if you had instead gone to an STD clinic or other provider with a little knowledge about STDs. On top of that, as I already implied, "testing staff" often provide inaccurate information about the tests they do. Typically they are trained to collect blood and other specimens, and little else.
Back to the original question: Come back with the details of your HSV-1 and HSV-2 test results when you receive them, including the ELISA ratio numbers. Then I will provide more accurate information about whether you are infected with either of those viruses. But for now, you can know that if anything at all turns up positive, it preceded the oral sex event.
And finally, such brief oral exposure -- barely enough to have a little "skin contact" -- probably was zero risk for any infection of any kind. That sort of information also could have been availble through an experienced clinician.
I don't mean to come down on you so hard. But this is an important lesson for all forum users who are interested in STD testing.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Dear Doctor,
I wanted to find out what your evaluation from the results I received last Friday.
HSV2 ELISA was 1.29
HSV1 ELISA was 5.26
Exposure was 5/30 blood collected 6/9.
Thanks,
TM4211
I wanted to find out what your evaluation from the results I received last Friday.
HSV2 ELISA was 1.29
HSV1 ELISA was 5.26
Exposure was 5/30 blood collected 6/9.
Thanks,
TM4211
You are reading content posted in the STDs 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.
