Question on Transmission/Testing

[itsjustme1210]

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone knows about bloodwork. Wheni got diagnosed last week at theER they took a swab of a sore, and it came back positive for hsv2 about a week later. the doctor at the er told me it takes about a week from exposure to outbreak and then my obgyn said it takes 0-30 days for exposure to outbreak, so obviously in either case, i know who gave it to me. He has no signs or symptoms so im figuring i got it from subclinical shedding. But now he claims he went to the clinic and they did blood work and they said he was negative. so he thinks im lying and he thinks i got it from someone else. im starting to doubt myself now.... but from what ive read on this site, it sounds like it might take in some men for it to actually show up in the blood. but wouldnt a decent doctor have explained this to him? Someone please explain,

[WaxedWrong]

it can be anywhere from 2 days to 20 years, for you to have your first outbreak so in each case both the doctors are wrong. but the 2nd one is usually the average you will read about. so really, you could have gotten it from anyone, and just now had a outbreak.

since he got tested you should ask to see the results, because really anything that isnt a 0 on the test is positive, exposure is exposure, means you have got it, doesnt mean you will have outbreaks etc etc but youve got it.

decent doctors are hard to find for everyone, even the ones you saw told you the wrong information.

[Caliope]

I am not sure that I understand your question completely but I'll explain what I understand.

Not everyone who is exposed gets an ob. the time frame that most dr's refer to is the standard example of exposure to initial ob. It could take 2 days for an initial ob or it could take longer. if your immune system is stellar you may not have a noticeable initial ob. I never had an initial ob.

If you were never exposed to hsv you would not have any antibodies against this virus and if you went today and had a blood test for hsv it would be negative because it looks for specific antibodies.

From the minute you are first exposed your body begins to react to the virus and develop antibodies but this can take anywhere from about 4 weeks to as many as 8 months (according to real people on this forum) to have a blood test that reads positive.

Some tests are more sensitive and will detect the virus earlier. The usual test results show percentages of antibodies and from these numbers the dr's interpret whether someone has a positive exposure to the virus.

There are two kinds of herpes simplex virus and either one can be an infection of the mouth (coldsores, fever blisters) or of the genitals. Testing should be for both of those viruses not just one or the other to know for certain if someone is infected. In other words it is not true that cold sores are always hsv1 and it is not true that genital infections are always hsv2. You can have either or both strands of virus in either location or anywhere else on your body but usually where there is moisture.

About 25% of the population over the age of 12 in the US has genital herpes. Anywhere from 50-80% of the population has oral herpes.

Many dr's are misinformed about hsv and hsv testing. Not all of them understand the fine points.

[itsjustme1210]

ok so let me see if i got this straight... confusing as it all is. I didnt necessarily get it from him because the doctors gave me the wrong time frame? and also... he may infact have given it to me and have hsv, but still come up with negative blood results if it hasnt been long enough and hes never had an ob?

[Caliope]

It is possible that you had it before this partner. It is also possible that your current partner doesn't have it. Can he show you evidence that he went and had testing done recently?

There have been cases of people who are infected with hsv that have had the virus become dormant or latent and not show up in tests but this is not the norm. Usually to transmit it to another person the virus has to be active.

[itsjustme1210]

He claims he has the paper at home and i am still weaiting to see it.. so i guess i'll have to wait. i thought i heard of men on this website that said they had the virus and nothing showed up in bloodwork for like 8-10 months later?

[Caliope]

what I have seen time and again is that someone is exposed and has an ob or symptoms they are quite sure is herpes so they go to their dr and have bloodtests but don't get the actual positive result until many months later. This can happen to either gender, male or female.

Then there are the folks who never have a symptom go in for routine std testing including hsv and test positive. They don't even know if it is oral or genital.

Someone who never has an ob or symptoms and has no reason to believe they have been exposed to hsv may very well have true negative test results.

The fact that you have a positive result and have been sexually active with your boy friend leads me to believe that he may have been exposed at least by you. It is no guarantee that he actually has contracted it but more likely than if he never had a partner who had tested positive. You could continue to have sexual relations for years and he could still never contract it from you.

There are couples where one partner has it and the other doesn't. Just look at the Valtrex commercials.

[alfalfa]

antibody clues?

Hi - My doc got my results last week and said she could tell the exposure was recent -- within a month or so. I asked, "But isn't it possible for the symptoms to remain dormant long after exposure?" She said yes, but the test shows a TYPE of antibodies that mobilizes specifically for initial exposure, and it is different from whatever would have been elevated if I'd had this for awhile. Has anyone ever heard of this before? The paper still hasn't arrived in the mail.

That sucks these guys are irresponsible/weak/liars. Especially if they're gonna keep infecting people. My source partner made me feel so much better about this once he was over the initial disbelief and apologies. If he hadn't been cool, I know I would have wasted a lot of energy being frustrated at him. Just remember these uncool guys are going to end up rotting in their own denial one way or another. And you don't need them, because you have us!

[Caliope]

alfalfa - Those are the IgM results which several people have pointed out that the CDC finds to be unreliable.

as I understand it our bodies have an initial response to any unknown pathogen and those are the antibodies that are detected in the IgM but they could be from things other than hsv so I don't know how any dr can say unequivically that they are only from hsv. What if you just had a cold or the flu I think those would merit a similar antibody response as they are caused by viruses also. Plus I've read that if you had a true dormant or latent infection you could still have that antibody response.

I could be wrong but this is how I understand it. Anyone? Is this right?

The IgG shows herpes specific antibodies.

[alfalfa]

Future tests

Thanks -- I talked to another clinic today bc my test didn't show whether it was HSV 1 or HSV 2. They said the test they use requires me to wait 3 months to make that diagnosis if my exposure was recent (as the original test suggests if not confirms). Meanwhile, my doc said they have struggled for a year with the lab her clinic uses to get them to isolate HSV diagnoses by type, and she's not confident a second test with her will give me any more information. Planned Parenthood here said they also don't diagnose HSV by type. They directed me to the state health department clinic, which is more affordable than getting yet another doctor w/ yet another lab. So I'll have to go back for another test anyway. I haven't had any cold or flu symptoms in several months, but I've had one small sore downstairs for the past week 10 days or so. So I'm going to proceed as if I have herpes even though the swab test came back negative and you say the blood test might be inconclusive.

I just wish I knew which type I have. Clinically, it doesn't make much difference to me -- my symptoms are very mild, and it's communicable either way. But I'm going to have to explain this to someone else one day, and I'd like to look like I know what I'm talking about.

[Caliope]

If you can get a swab on day one of an ob they should be able to tell you which strand without waiting months.

what you mention about waiting 3 months after exposure is actually quite accurate. By 16 weeks or more you should have antibodies that can be detected by the test and if you can get the "herpes select" or "Western Blot" blood test it should answer your question of which one you have.

[starphyse]

I have to get a test done myself in a few months since im having unprotected sex. Good to know more about it though.

[Angel Eyes]

Oh, don't necessarily fall for that one itsjustme1210!! The man that gave this to me insists that he is negative!! He has been the only partner I have had for the 5 months before OB!! My first blood test was negative for IGM & IGG, then 6 weeks later seroconverted... I am actually looking for legal restitution b/c of this lying fuck.....so, I would be interested in the lab sheet he shows you.....

[isldgrl]

these are some of the same questions I'm having...

The guy I've been seeing for almost a year had an outbreak 2 weeks ago and after both blood and culture was diagnosed w/ type 2 and his dr. said he had probably been exposed some time ago. He had been tested in 2004 and was clean and then for HIV in 2006 (not stds) so he figures he was infected by ex who had actually admitted she had been exposed by her ex but had not had an outbreak in 20 yrs. (she was misinformed and so was my friend, thinking he could not be infected). Now where it gets tricky for me....I haven't had a specific std test in like 15 yrs. I'm an older woman and when I was coming of age sexually the big deal was getting pregnant. I was also married twice and felt safe in both of those marriages altho have doubted the 2nd one since splitting w/ him. So now I'm wondering just when did I contract this and have I had a genital outbreak I'm not aware of? I have had cold sores on and off all my life but didn't test positive for that 15 yrs ago....but then maybe testing wasn't that good then? So it's possible it has been dormant for a long time w/ me? and for a few yrs for him? and then something just triggered his outbreak? and maybe I've had one I don't know about? or will have one soon? questions, questions, it's enough to drive someone out of their mind. I'm so glad there are sites like this for people to discuss. Obviously there are a lot of people out there dealing w/ this and that actually brings me some comfort in a weird way, but it still seems taboo which puzzles me with the amount of people in this country that have probably been exposed. When you look at the statistics, at least half of my friends probably have been...I've already encouraged a couple to get tested.

[Angel Eyes]

isldgrl, when you were tested, what were your bloodwork results? were they neg, pos?? If they were positive, you have had it for a while (time can't really be determined) and it will be hard to discover exactly who gave this to you. If the bloodwork was neg, then turns pos within a short time (1-2 months, some say 3 months)((as in my situation), that means you just contracted this.....keep me posted.... I am one of the lucky ones who knows who exactly gave this to me....even if he does deny it, I know the truth and am taking legal action

[isldgrl]

oops...

I failed to mention my test results....thx for reply....my bloodwork said I was positive for both 1 and 2 and his for 2 only. The dr. said they would send me the results, but I haven't received them yet. From what I've been reading it also sounds like the number has some relation to how long you may have been infected? I wish drs. were a little more forthcoming w/ the info we need to know. Mine just kept saying not to worry, it wasn't the end of the world, and that over 50% of the population has been exposed. I guess he means well, but jeez...this is only the tip of the discussion. I had to pry some additional info. out of him and it was still limited. If so many people could have been exposed and not know it, why isn't there a standard test done at least at the time of your physical or gyn exam? When I asked my gyn about testing me previously because I have thought about testing on and off for some time, he just said to go give blood and that way I would be tested for everything..I just don't get it sometimes! I'm so glad I found some people to talk to about this because I really need to talk about it to process...appreciate all response! thank you:)