Positive culture years ago, negative antibodies

[lilyblue]

Hi,
I received oral sex from a man about 4 years ago. Shorly after I developed a sore on my vulva. I was cultured at Planned Parenthood and the results came back (via a telephone call) positive for HSV 1. Since then he has been tested several times (type specific) and has been negative every time (up to about 2 years out from my culture, I've since lost contact with him). I have had no other outbreaks and have been tested yearly at my OBGYN and have been negative for both HSV1 & 2 every time (probably about 5 times total with more frequent testing at the beginning and my last test being a month ago). About 4 months ago I started having some generalized irritation in the area of my vulva. A few times there were some tiny tiny red "dots" (not bumps, nothing that could be felt, or probably even really seen without close inspection), but nothing that was sore to the touch or progressed. After about two months I was diagnosed with BV and then a few weeks later with continued BV and a yeast infection. Those were both treated (and resolved accordin to testing) with antibiotics which I finished a couple of weeks ago, but the burning persists. I also pay WAY too much attention to my vulva at this point and think every skin abnormality - ones that I'm sure are normal and have been seen by a dr - is a definite sign of herpes. Logically I know a herpes outbreak doesn't last for 4 months, but I can't help but wonder what else it could be. Thoughts on what I should do to definitively rule in/out herpes? Can I rule it out at this point or could I just be someone who doesn't develop antibodies? How common is that? It's really hard to tell on the internet whether that is somewhat common, or very uncommon as my dr says.

Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

cultures aren't often wrong. they depend on actually growing out herpes in the lab which is hard to do.

[lilyblue]

Thanks for your reply. I guess I wonder if maybe the culture was wrong. What are the chances of both me and the guy repeatedly testing negative for hsv1, even if 1 out of 10 tests miss it? We would have been 2 out of 2 that were missed. He is the only one I could have gotten it from. I'm also worried about the possibility that I have passed it on to someone else at the beginning of this 4 month period. I had had unprotected oral sex with this recent guy for 2 years and unprotected intercourse for about 8 months. He had not developed anything as of November, and we only had sex once after I started feeling irritated, but I'm extremely worried I gave him something. I'm pretty much terrified of sexual contact at this point and I'm tired of it!!

[gracefromHHP]

Even the best blood tests still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. Not unusual to have tested + for hsv1 on a lesion culture but negative consistently on blood tests for hsv1.

many things can cause issues down yonder. Bv and yeast are both common culprits.  You also can develop vaginal dryness from infections also. things to try are some of the otc vaginal lubricants to see if that helps . If they don't, certainly return again to make sure that infection isn't an issue as well as you might need topical estrogen to help strengthen the genital skin too.

grace