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Herpes test scare
I had a terrible extra marital affair. It was a one night stand and consisted of unprotected oral sex on me and vaginal sex exclusively with a condome.I decided to go home and make my marriage work but before, I decided to get a STD test to ensure I did not infect anyone at home including my children. The results of the test taken at 7 weeks were all negative except for HSV1 and 2. The results were HSV1- 4.99 and HSV2- 1.09. My doctor said she was going to go ahead and diagnose me as positive on both because of my "risky" behavior and stated "because you know you have it". I want a second opinion and test as 1.09 is technically in the equivocal range but my doctor is resistive. I also want some counseling if I am positive and my doctor doesn't seem up to date with herpes. What type of doctor is best for counseling and retest (urologist, general practicioner or infectous disease doctor). Also since my HSV1 is high could my HSV2 result be tainted since it is so low? Since I took test at 7 weeks will my borderline score go up if I take the test at 12 weeks for example.I have never had any symptoms such as legions etc.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It's pointless to speculate about the source of something you probably don't have. You can address the source of infection if necessary after repeat testing.
Herpes testing is not usually done in pregnant women.
Herpes testing is not usually done in pregnant women.
This was my only affair in almost 10 years of marriage therefore if I contracted the virus previously shouldn't my wife have it? I guess my question is, if I did have it before my wife and we had two children, shouldn't her doctor have caught it during the numerous checkups during her pregnancy?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Most like you do not have HSV-2. At least half of results in the range as yours are falsely positive when the person also has positive result for HSV-1. A repeat of the same test might sort it out; if a repeat shows an ELISA ratio below 0.9, you can rely on that outcome and know for sure you don't have HSV-2. Or you can be tested with another test, such as the BiokitUSA test; if that is negative for HSV-2, you also can rely on the result. The last option is a Western blot test, available primarily at the University of Washington clinical lab in Seattle--most expensive (probably $200 including your local lab's blood draw and handling fees, and maybe not covered by insurance), but it is the gold standard for sorting out uncertain HSV blood test results. Whichever path you choose, I recommend retesting at about 4 months.
In the unlikely chance repeat testing is positive for HSV-2, it probably will mean a distant past infection, not from the extramarital affair you describe. Combining the near zero risk of HSV-2 from oral sex, low risk for any single episode of vaginal sex, still lower risk because of condom use, and the lack of symptoms of a new genital herpes infection, the chance you caught herpes from that event is near zero. It would almost have to be from some other source. This is why I would have recommended against HSV testing at all in your case. But now that you've started down that path and had the equivocal result, you should follow up with repeat testing as suggested above. While you await the outcome, relax: most likely you don't have it.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
In the unlikely chance repeat testing is positive for HSV-2, it probably will mean a distant past infection, not from the extramarital affair you describe. Combining the near zero risk of HSV-2 from oral sex, low risk for any single episode of vaginal sex, still lower risk because of condom use, and the lack of symptoms of a new genital herpes infection, the chance you caught herpes from that event is near zero. It would almost have to be from some other source. This is why I would have recommended against HSV testing at all in your case. But now that you've started down that path and had the equivocal result, you should follow up with repeat testing as suggested above. While you await the outcome, relax: most likely you don't have it.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
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.
