i didnt cheat on her but cant prove it

[herpesconcern]

hello docs. this is the situation. i was tested with igg three months ago because my doc wanted a full physical. though i never had herpes ob or sores, i tested positive with igg for hsv2. i am heartbroken. i told my gf. we have been together for three years. for two years we had unprotected sex with no condom ever. the last year we went with condoms cuz she got off the pill. she just got igg tested and it is negative. now shes think that i am a cheater. she thinks that i have cheated in the last year and just got this now. i know it is not true. i know that i never cheated. how can this be? please help me understand.

1. can i have this for more than three years with no symptoms?
2. can she not get it after having sex 1 or 2 times a week with no condom?
3. if i am not having symptoms will that make it less likely for me to give it to her.
4. can we get a test to prove that i got it a long time ago?

i love her and am losing her because she thinks i cheated when i know i didnt. please help me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

1.  You could share the information I've provide with your doctor if you think he might be receptive.   Or you could check with another local health care provider.  It should be doable- many commercial labs have the ability to send out specimens for testing at the University of Washington.

2.  Acyclovir should not change the antibbody test results although it is not clear to my why you are  taking it.  

3.  While having HSV-1 is somewhat associated with false positve results, there are plenty of people who have FPs and do not have HSV-1.  

I don't know if you have HSV-2 or not.  I do think you need to get this sorted out.  I hope my comments have been helpful.  Its time for this thread to end.  EWH

[herpesconcern]

thanks doctor for your reply. i have three more questions if you do not mind (i am sorry for asking so many questions).

1. how can i get one of these tests done? my dr. said today that i definately have hsv2 and i am afriad to ask him for a different test. can i just pay for it myself thru some sort of lab or online?

2. can i take these tests and trust the results if i am taking acyclovir? i have been taking some lately because i am worried about an ob (even tho i have never actually had one...my dr. gave me a prescription and said to take some if i felt an ob coming on and based on what i read online i thought i may be getting ready for one because i felt nauseous and had a fever). how long would i have to stop taking the drug to get a good test result?

3. does having hsv1 be negative make a false positive less likely? i read here:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/IGG-Test-Result-Confusion/show/593272

that false pos. is less likely if i have a negative hsv1. I am sorry to ask so many questions but it has been a horrible roller coaster for me these last few months. the hope of not having hsv2 is good but i would be very sad if it was not a false positive.

thank you again dr. for everything.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I thought that might be the case.  When the HerpeSelect values are less than 3.5 a substantial number of tests are falsely positive.  When the level is between 2.0 and 2.5 about half of the "positives" are actually false positive.  I would suggest that you have another test, either with a Surevue assay or with a Western Blot test performed at the University of Washington.  The Western Blot is the gold standard test.   This will clear things up once and for all. In your situation if the Western blot is negative or indeterminant, then you do not have HSV-2 and your HerpeSelect result is incorrect.  EWH

[herpesconcern]

hello dr. hook. i asked my dr. today about the values and he said that the values were 2.2 for hsv2 and .9 for hsv1 so i had genital herpes but not oral herpes. what should i do know that i know this? is it definately true that i have herpes? i have already come to grips with it. thank you again for your help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Lets find out if your have HSV first.  Please ask you doctor for the values.  Once we establish whether or not this is likely to be an infection we can deal with next steps.  EWH

[herpesconcern]

thanx for your replies.....more than i couldve hoped for. i am really thankful for your help. here are my answers for the questions.

Dr. hook
1. i had many partners prior to my current gf....but i havent been with anybody else since we got together which has been three years now. only her in the last three years. but i did have unprotected sex with other people before we started dating.
2. i dont know what the number was....the dr. never told me. he just said he did a igg / herpesselect w/ reflex and that it was positive so he knew that i had hsv2. he did not tell me about hsv1 so maybe he did not test for it. it was the only herpes test i have ever had. how can i find out the number?
3. i do not get cold sores anymore but maybe had them in the past....when i was a kid.

do you suggest i get a new test? what are the chances that i have a wrong test? i have been through hell thinking it was positive for genital herpes.


i have one other question. what should i expect to change now that i am positive? i dont have obs that i know of but could they start suddenly? i keep looking at my penis for ob because i am afraid it will start. should i go on valtrax?
Dr. handsfield
even if i have it i am so glad to hear your advice. i know that i did not do anything to cheat or attract the infection for three years. i hope that my gf will listen to your words doctors. do you know of any other websites where i could find info to convince her. she read some things online that say if you have it you will definately give it to your partner without a condom being used. i am happy she did not get it bc i could not live with the guilt of infecting her but now she distrusts me. i thank you again for helping me thru this. i am very apprecative.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.  In response to your main question:  your positive blood test does not suggest you have had recent sex partners other than your girlfriend.  The following comments should reassure both you and her on this score.

The first thing is to make sure your positive HSV-2 test result is valid.  Can you provide the numerical value?  Low values frequently are false, despite being technically positive.  If so, confirmatory testing will be required to see if you really are infected with HSV-2.  In answering your specific questions, I'm assuming you really have it.

1) Yes.  Most people with positive results for HSV-2 have no symptoms of genital herpes, and often have been infected for many years.  About 15-20% of the US population has positive results.

2) Among couples like you -- one person with HSV-2, the other without it -- transmission occurs in only about 5% of couples (1 in 20) every year, despite regular unprotected sex 2-3 times a week.  It is very common for one person in a relationship to have HSV-2 and the partner to remain uninfected.

3) Unfortunately, symptoms don't predict transmission risk.  If your blood test is truly positive, you can and should assume the virus is present intermittently in your genital area and that your partner could become infected.

4) There are no tests that can tell how long someone has had HSV-2.

With apology to Dr. Hook, I just realized he is already responding to your question -- but since I took the time to write a reply, I'll let it stand.  The benefit to you is that you're going to get 2 replies.  Most likely his views and mine will be pretty much the same.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. I'll try to help but before we get too far into this, I need to have more information.,  The three critical questions are:
1.  Is your current GF your only partner.  Have you had other partners in the past, before the current relationship began?
2.  Was the test for HSV you had a type specific IgG (not IgM) test such as the HerpeSelect and what was the numerical value of your test result?    The numerical value is important for assessing whether your result could be falsely positive.
3.  Do you get cold sores?

Regarding your more general questions, let me point out that about 20% of Americans adults have HSV-2 infection yet most people (over 80%) do not know it.  Thus you could have been infected for some time (if you are infected- nee those values).  

Further, there are many couples in which one person has HSV and yet has not transmitted it to others over long periods of time.

Please find out the information I request. Once we have that we can move forward.  EWH