Aa
Immune from infection if still Seronegative?
I tried to find the answer for this on my own, but I have been unsuccessful.
Backgroud - sorry, I think it's necessary for the question.
In February I had sex with my girlfriend and my ex-girlfriend within a week of each other. Not proud of it, but I did it. Two days later I experienced pain urinating - serious pain - and briefly a little blood. A few days later my lymph node in my groin swelled up. I never had any other symptoms. My doc gave me 2 weeks of antibiotics, and antifungal cream. I NEVER took antivirals because doc said it could make me sick if I took that and the antibiotics together. It got better in about a week, although wasn't 100% for almost two.
A day after my symptoms started my ex developed sores in her vagina, and then on her lip (she had a cut on her lip from flossing before we had sex). I went to urologist and he tested me for everything and it came out negative (IGM and IGG for HSV 1 and 2. He couldn't do a urethral swap because it was too irritated. My ex went to her OBGYN and had a positive culture test for HSV-1 and NEGATIVE blood test. My girlfriend (now also an ex) got tested for everything and she was positive for HSV -1. None of us have ever had a cold sore in our lives (I can promise this is the case for me).
I have since had two more blood tests done, the last being 17 weeks after infection and my IGG test are STILL negative. My IGM results on the last two were slightly elevated. I've had no noticeable outbreaks since, and according to my ex, she hasn't either.
So, my question is if I have sex with my ex girlfriend who tested positive orally and genitally for HSV 1 and who mostly likely got it from me, can I still become infected orally? What if I have sex with someone else who is HSV-1 positive? I've read that if you have antibodies to it you most likely will NOT get it anywhere else, but what if I've had the infection but I don't show antibodies on the test? Am I not immune to getting oral herpes?
Sorry for the long post. I would LOVE an answer, or at least some guidance as to where I can look for find an answer. Thank you! This forum is great!
Backgroud - sorry, I think it's necessary for the question.
In February I had sex with my girlfriend and my ex-girlfriend within a week of each other. Not proud of it, but I did it. Two days later I experienced pain urinating - serious pain - and briefly a little blood. A few days later my lymph node in my groin swelled up. I never had any other symptoms. My doc gave me 2 weeks of antibiotics, and antifungal cream. I NEVER took antivirals because doc said it could make me sick if I took that and the antibiotics together. It got better in about a week, although wasn't 100% for almost two.
A day after my symptoms started my ex developed sores in her vagina, and then on her lip (she had a cut on her lip from flossing before we had sex). I went to urologist and he tested me for everything and it came out negative (IGM and IGG for HSV 1 and 2. He couldn't do a urethral swap because it was too irritated. My ex went to her OBGYN and had a positive culture test for HSV-1 and NEGATIVE blood test. My girlfriend (now also an ex) got tested for everything and she was positive for HSV -1. None of us have ever had a cold sore in our lives (I can promise this is the case for me).
I have since had two more blood tests done, the last being 17 weeks after infection and my IGG test are STILL negative. My IGM results on the last two were slightly elevated. I've had no noticeable outbreaks since, and according to my ex, she hasn't either.
So, my question is if I have sex with my ex girlfriend who tested positive orally and genitally for HSV 1 and who mostly likely got it from me, can I still become infected orally? What if I have sex with someone else who is HSV-1 positive? I've read that if you have antibodies to it you most likely will NOT get it anywhere else, but what if I've had the infection but I don't show antibodies on the test? Am I not immune to getting oral herpes?
Sorry for the long post. I would LOVE an answer, or at least some guidance as to where I can look for find an answer. Thank you! This forum is great!
Best Answer
1 - we don't measure viral load with herpes. we look at igg response to infection with the virus. if you are infected, it not showing up on the blood tests doesn't make a difference as far as shedding rates or possbility of transmission.
I forgot to thank you again for your prompt answers. Thank you Mistakeguy789, also!
I don't know if I've exhausted my question limit, but I do have one more.
1) Since my viral load is undetectable, does that mean that I have LESS of the virus, and/or that I have less chance of having a recurrence or of spreading it to someone else? In other words, is there a correlation between antibodies present in the blood and severity and contagiousness of the virus?
That's all the questions for me. Thank you all. I do appreciate it. Learning you have Herpes is NOT a pleasant experience, but it does help IMMENSELY to have a people like you who can quickly answer any question we most certainly will have. :)
I don't know if I've exhausted my question limit, but I do have one more.
1) Since my viral load is undetectable, does that mean that I have LESS of the virus, and/or that I have less chance of having a recurrence or of spreading it to someone else? In other words, is there a correlation between antibodies present in the blood and severity and contagiousness of the virus?
That's all the questions for me. Thank you all. I do appreciate it. Learning you have Herpes is NOT a pleasant experience, but it does help IMMENSELY to have a people like you who can quickly answer any question we most certainly will have. :)
1 - totally up to you. your symptoms could've been from many things and you've certainly tested enough .
2- no you are not a freak of nature because of this ( may be other issues but you haven't brought them up yet...he he he ). Even the best tests miss 10% of all hsv1 infections and it has nothing to do with your immune system. every body is different - literally.
3- even the WB misses 10%. honestly unless you get symptoms to test, I wouldn't bother with any more blood testing. it is available through most quest labs as a send out - test # 34534
2- no you are not a freak of nature because of this ( may be other issues but you haven't brought them up yet...he he he ). Even the best tests miss 10% of all hsv1 infections and it has nothing to do with your immune system. every body is different - literally.
3- even the WB misses 10%. honestly unless you get symptoms to test, I wouldn't bother with any more blood testing. it is available through most quest labs as a send out - test # 34534
Thank you for your response. I was just wondering if I had to worry about having sex (oral or intercourse) with someone who was HSV-1 positive since I don't have any antibodies to it (at least, they don't show on my blood tests). I do have a few quick questions based on your answers if you don't mind
1) What should I tell new partners? That I think I may have HSV-1 but I've never tested positive or had a recurrence?
2) What does it say about my immune system if I don't seroconvert, and yet I still have (or had) the virus? Is my immune system strong? Weak? I don't get it. Am I a freak of nature? ;)
3) I agree with you that I shouldn't go crazy testing over and over for this, but I do wonder about taking one more test at the 6th month mark (for my sanity, and for my future partners'), and I'd like to take the Western Blot. However, QUEST doesn't offer it. How do I go about getting it?
Thank you again for taking the time to read and answer my questions. I greatly appreciate it!
1) What should I tell new partners? That I think I may have HSV-1 but I've never tested positive or had a recurrence?
2) What does it say about my immune system if I don't seroconvert, and yet I still have (or had) the virus? Is my immune system strong? Weak? I don't get it. Am I a freak of nature? ;)
3) I agree with you that I shouldn't go crazy testing over and over for this, but I do wonder about taking one more test at the 6th month mark (for my sanity, and for my future partners'), and I'd like to take the Western Blot. However, QUEST doesn't offer it. How do I go about getting it?
Thank you again for taking the time to read and answer my questions. I greatly appreciate it!
Thank you for the quick response. It's hard for me to believe that I've had HSV 1 orally since childhood since I'm anal about sharing drinks with anyone, or kissing someone with even a zit close to their mouth, but I guess it is possible. Also, I've NEVER had anything like a cold sore, nor have any of my girlfriends. My theory (could totally be wrong) is that I contracted it through oral sex from my gf at the time (she tested positive for HSV 1 but does not remember every having anything) and then days later I gave it to my ex, as we came down with primary symptoms within a day of each other. To my knowledge, and I grilled her on this one, she had not had sex since August (almost 6 months before infection), AND we had sex a few times through November - January.
It's interesting that you think I'll still be somewhat protected from contracting HSV1 orally (or genitally again) even if my blood does not show antibodies to it. I hope you're correct, but I look forward to a response from one of doctors, too. Thank you.
One more thing, I tried ordering a Western Blot test when I was at the urologist but they called Quest and the lab did NOT perform the test. How do I go about getting this test?
It's interesting that you think I'll still be somewhat protected from contracting HSV1 orally (or genitally again) even if my blood does not show antibodies to it. I hope you're correct, but I look forward to a response from one of doctors, too. Thank you.
One more thing, I tried ordering a Western Blot test when I was at the urologist but they called Quest and the lab did NOT perform the test. How do I go about getting this test?
The question is a little complex but I will give you some of my little knowledge.
About 10-15% of people will not develop measurable levels of anitbodies for the test to pick up. I am not 100% if that number applies to even the western blot but I do believe that is just in general for HSV-1. HSV-1 testing is not as senesitive as it is for HSV-2.
With that being said some things to consider 17 weeks after puts you at a little after the best time to test (16 weeks) so while you have an IGM response we know that the test is not as reliable for HSV diagnosising. Your ex was most likely a new infection given the IgG test was negative but a positive culture. Has your ex been with anyone else? The timeline fits (most infections are seen within 2-10 days) and you yourself could very well had HSV given that fungal infection is typically a mis diagnosis for HSV genitally and also
More then half the US adult population has HSV-1 orally from childhood. So if you had HSV-1 orally and don't recall cold sores that doesn't change that you could very well have it but not had the anibodies being picked up.
Now if you were infected with HSV and transmitted your body will or has developed an antibody response. Given that you are at least highly resistant to a new infection of HSV in a different location. There is no "you are immune" that has I believe been closely studied. But the experts in the STD forums do say either immune or highly resistant.
If you wanted to follow up I would say maybe a western blot to confirm you have HSV given your time frame but I would wait until the 6 month mark. Unless petal, aj, or grace differs from me that would be my bet.
About 10-15% of people will not develop measurable levels of anitbodies for the test to pick up. I am not 100% if that number applies to even the western blot but I do believe that is just in general for HSV-1. HSV-1 testing is not as senesitive as it is for HSV-2.
With that being said some things to consider 17 weeks after puts you at a little after the best time to test (16 weeks) so while you have an IGM response we know that the test is not as reliable for HSV diagnosising. Your ex was most likely a new infection given the IgG test was negative but a positive culture. Has your ex been with anyone else? The timeline fits (most infections are seen within 2-10 days) and you yourself could very well had HSV given that fungal infection is typically a mis diagnosis for HSV genitally and also
More then half the US adult population has HSV-1 orally from childhood. So if you had HSV-1 orally and don't recall cold sores that doesn't change that you could very well have it but not had the anibodies being picked up.
Now if you were infected with HSV and transmitted your body will or has developed an antibody response. Given that you are at least highly resistant to a new infection of HSV in a different location. There is no "you are immune" that has I believe been closely studied. But the experts in the STD forums do say either immune or highly resistant.
If you wanted to follow up I would say maybe a western blot to confirm you have HSV given your time frame but I would wait until the 6 month mark. Unless petal, aj, or grace differs from me that would be my bet.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
totally up to you and your current gf who is testing + for hsv1 what you want to do. If you do really have hsv1 genitally, she has it orally ( most likely ) so it's not likely she'll contract it genitally from you. Should you have any genital symptoms ( including urinary symptoms ) , avoid sex to err on the side of caution. It's up to the two of you if you want to from this point forward only receive protected oral sex from her since you have consistently tested negative for hsv1 yourself. Overall your risk of contracting hsv1 genitally is low but certainly not 0. At this point and because of the issues with the hsv1 blood tests, no way to know if your former gf actually contracted hsv1 genitally from you or if it was just her first obvious recurrence of it.
I know, not clear cut answers but sometimes it is a little grey :(
grace