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Negative Bloodtests?
Hello,
In very early April after visiting my girlfriend (we have a long distance relationship) I developed one sore/lesion on the shaft of my penis. I went and got it checked out. The doc did not have a culture available so he gave me Valtrex and sent me for an IGG type specific bloodtest from LabCorp. I tested positive for type one and negative for type two. For what its worth, I have never recalled having a "cold sore" or "fever blister" near my mouth, but I'm 28 and I of course don't remember all the details of my childhood.
If this was either type of herpes, I can only assume this was my first outbreak since I've never had a sore on my penis before. It cleared up in about 10 days with valtrex. Over the next month or two I didn't have any sores develop, but did notice abnormalities in the skin on my penis. Not being a doctor I can't accurately confirm whether or not they have anything to do with herpes.
In June after visiting my girlfriend I developed a cluster of blisters that went completely away after about two weeks (no valtrex). They were in a very similar location as the first sore. Interestingly enough, the first outbreak never appeared to have a cluster of blisters, I just woke up with a single open sore.
In the last two months I have developed four sets of blisters, numbering about 2 or 3 blisters, which take 10-14 days to completely heal (no valtrex), though I generally masturbate after about three days since there is just redness and no discomfort or pain after the first three days. They have all been in generally the same spot.
My girlfriend has never had an outbreak until we saw each other in August. I had some redness in the usual area of my shaft while we had unprotected sex. A few days later she developed the classic primary outbreak, complete with fever, 12-13 sores, and bladder infection. (She has known all about my symptoms and because my doctor has never felt herpes was the cause, we were lax with protection).
She cultured positive for HSV Type 2 during this her likely first outbreak.
In late September, I went back into the doctor (third time) because I was frustrated by the recurrent symptoms. I had redness from where the sores were, but no open sores. With no open sores, he could not do a culture. He sent me for another IGG HSV Type 2 test from LabCorp. I am unsure of what brand name they use.
It came back negative, "<.91" was the result. At the same time, HIV and HCV both were also tested and they came back negative as well.
I am an immunocompetent individual, I rarely get sick, and until this hardly ever went to the doctors except for STD testing every once in a while.
I am not concerned with if my gf gave it to me, or if I gave it to her, we really don't care.
My only question, or frustration, is that if I do have HSV Type 2, than why am I not testing postive for it? All STD tests have repeatedly come back fine.
Why would my body be so slow to develop antibodies to HSV Type 2? Will I ever develop antibodies?, Will the frequent recurrent outbreaks which take 10-14 days to disappear from my skin, heal faster once my body "figures out" the virus? I understand the IGG test is pretty accurate so given that I've now had two negatives, the second 5.5 months after my first herpes like sore, what can I expect going forward?
I have purposely avoided discussing any of the prodromal symptoms due to any possible anxiety or perhaps being over observant of body sensations. I am only concerned with what I can see, and only for what closely resembles HSV. I probably would have moved on from HSV type 2 (even given the cluster of blisters) but I feel its the primary suspect given that my girlfriend cultured positive for HSV type 2 and has never had any sore that she can remember.
Thanks for any help you can provide. Even though I have two negative IGG tests, I am now on Valtrex daily suppression to see how that deals with recurrant symptoms. I have not asked this question in the Doctor's forum, if anyone feels I should, I will pony up the $15 and ask it.
In very early April after visiting my girlfriend (we have a long distance relationship) I developed one sore/lesion on the shaft of my penis. I went and got it checked out. The doc did not have a culture available so he gave me Valtrex and sent me for an IGG type specific bloodtest from LabCorp. I tested positive for type one and negative for type two. For what its worth, I have never recalled having a "cold sore" or "fever blister" near my mouth, but I'm 28 and I of course don't remember all the details of my childhood.
If this was either type of herpes, I can only assume this was my first outbreak since I've never had a sore on my penis before. It cleared up in about 10 days with valtrex. Over the next month or two I didn't have any sores develop, but did notice abnormalities in the skin on my penis. Not being a doctor I can't accurately confirm whether or not they have anything to do with herpes.
In June after visiting my girlfriend I developed a cluster of blisters that went completely away after about two weeks (no valtrex). They were in a very similar location as the first sore. Interestingly enough, the first outbreak never appeared to have a cluster of blisters, I just woke up with a single open sore.
In the last two months I have developed four sets of blisters, numbering about 2 or 3 blisters, which take 10-14 days to completely heal (no valtrex), though I generally masturbate after about three days since there is just redness and no discomfort or pain after the first three days. They have all been in generally the same spot.
My girlfriend has never had an outbreak until we saw each other in August. I had some redness in the usual area of my shaft while we had unprotected sex. A few days later she developed the classic primary outbreak, complete with fever, 12-13 sores, and bladder infection. (She has known all about my symptoms and because my doctor has never felt herpes was the cause, we were lax with protection).
She cultured positive for HSV Type 2 during this her likely first outbreak.
In late September, I went back into the doctor (third time) because I was frustrated by the recurrent symptoms. I had redness from where the sores were, but no open sores. With no open sores, he could not do a culture. He sent me for another IGG HSV Type 2 test from LabCorp. I am unsure of what brand name they use.
It came back negative, "<.91" was the result. At the same time, HIV and HCV both were also tested and they came back negative as well.
I am an immunocompetent individual, I rarely get sick, and until this hardly ever went to the doctors except for STD testing every once in a while.
I am not concerned with if my gf gave it to me, or if I gave it to her, we really don't care.
My only question, or frustration, is that if I do have HSV Type 2, than why am I not testing postive for it? All STD tests have repeatedly come back fine.
Why would my body be so slow to develop antibodies to HSV Type 2? Will I ever develop antibodies?, Will the frequent recurrent outbreaks which take 10-14 days to disappear from my skin, heal faster once my body "figures out" the virus? I understand the IGG test is pretty accurate so given that I've now had two negatives, the second 5.5 months after my first herpes like sore, what can I expect going forward?
I have purposely avoided discussing any of the prodromal symptoms due to any possible anxiety or perhaps being over observant of body sensations. I am only concerned with what I can see, and only for what closely resembles HSV. I probably would have moved on from HSV type 2 (even given the cluster of blisters) but I feel its the primary suspect given that my girlfriend cultured positive for HSV type 2 and has never had any sore that she can remember.
Thanks for any help you can provide. Even though I have two negative IGG tests, I am now on Valtrex daily suppression to see how that deals with recurrant symptoms. I have not asked this question in the Doctor's forum, if anyone feels I should, I will pony up the $15 and ask it.
Our immune systems are very complex and it's far more than just the igg response going on. You won't have more frequent ob's or more severe ob's if you do happen to be one of the few that don't have an igg response that is detected on the herpes igg blood tests we offer at this time.
So you've been on suppressive therapy this whole time or just started it recently? Since your gf has hsv2 and you suspect you do too, no reason for it right now. Personally I'd stay off of it at this time and wait until you got a confirmed hsv2+ lesion culture.
grace
So you've been on suppressive therapy this whole time or just started it recently? Since your gf has hsv2 and you suspect you do too, no reason for it right now. Personally I'd stay off of it at this time and wait until you got a confirmed hsv2+ lesion culture.
grace
Thanks Grace. It sure isn't cut and dry, huh.
What I was most concerned about was any expected complications from being among the very few who don't test positive via a standard type specific igg from Labcorp.
Given that its a relatively minor skin infection (but something that should be taken seriously) my worry was that if I never seroconvert, I could expect more frequent breakouts which last longer than 7-10 days; symptoms atypical of most hsv positive individuals.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case, since you don't indicate any correlation between seroconversion and the length and number of future outbreaks.
I'm going to continue the suppression therapy to see how that helps over the next few months.
Thanks for your help.
What I was most concerned about was any expected complications from being among the very few who don't test positive via a standard type specific igg from Labcorp.
Given that its a relatively minor skin infection (but something that should be taken seriously) my worry was that if I never seroconvert, I could expect more frequent breakouts which last longer than 7-10 days; symptoms atypical of most hsv positive individuals.
However, that doesn't appear to be the case, since you don't indicate any correlation between seroconversion and the length and number of future outbreaks.
I'm going to continue the suppression therapy to see how that helps over the next few months.
Thanks for your help.
Some folks will never test + on the blood tests we currently have and a lesion culture is the only way to detect their infection. It says nothing about the severity of symptoms or anything like that - it's just the way some folks body's are. The WB looks at more parts of the igg response which is why I recommended that. Sometimes folks that aren't testing + on the regular blood tests will on that one.
Of course this might also not be hsv2 on you and just a coincidence thatyour gf had it and never knew it and you've been having funky symptoms that caused her to take notice of what was going on in her own body. Hard to tell at this point. Sometimes it's just not so cut and dry :(
grace
Of course this might also not be hsv2 on you and just a coincidence thatyour gf had it and never knew it and you've been having funky symptoms that caused her to take notice of what was going on in her own body. Hard to tell at this point. Sometimes it's just not so cut and dry :(
grace
I thought it was the exact opposite... i thought that if some one does not have an outbreak they are more likely to have false neg. results? Not the other way around?
Grace have you ever seen/heard of it taking this long to test positive after an outbreak?
Grace have you ever seen/heard of it taking this long to test positive after an outbreak?
Let's assume for a second that a Herpes WB or PCR swab test would come back positive and that I do indeed have HSV2.
Is there any information or studies available on the length of time it takes to seroconvert as a correlation to the frequency and duration of outbreaks?
My concern is that given such a long seroconversion process for me, is this contributing to the frequency and duration of the outbreaks?
And as a follow-up, do people who never seroconvert have more frequent and longer lasting outbreaks?
Is there any data available on the effectiveness of suppression in individuals who do not seroconvert?
Is there any information or studies available on the length of time it takes to seroconvert as a correlation to the frequency and duration of outbreaks?
My concern is that given such a long seroconversion process for me, is this contributing to the frequency and duration of the outbreaks?
And as a follow-up, do people who never seroconvert have more frequent and longer lasting outbreaks?
Is there any data available on the effectiveness of suppression in individuals who do not seroconvert?
A blood test at the time of her symptoms would've helped you two figure out who had it first potentially.
It sounds like she probably had hsv2 and never knew it and then gave it to you and you are just taking a heck of a long time to seroconvert. If you want, ask your doctor to give you the supplies to do home pcr swabbing so that the next time you have your symptoms start, you can swab them at home and then drop it off at the lab. It's literally wetting a sterile Q tip, swabbing the lesions and then putting it in a vial of transport medium. If you repeat the blood test at all, make sure it's a herpes WB.
grace
It sounds like she probably had hsv2 and never knew it and then gave it to you and you are just taking a heck of a long time to seroconvert. If you want, ask your doctor to give you the supplies to do home pcr swabbing so that the next time you have your symptoms start, you can swab them at home and then drop it off at the lab. It's literally wetting a sterile Q tip, swabbing the lesions and then putting it in a vial of transport medium. If you repeat the blood test at all, make sure it's a herpes WB.
grace
Correct. Given they she cultured positive for hsv2, and that culture testing is so highly sensitive, I don't really see the point of a blood test for her, but correct me if I'm wrong.
But for me on the other hand, my sores are not open very long, and I can never get a doctor's appointment in enough time to get them cultured.
So I'm most curious about my negative blood tests especially the one almost 6 months after the first outbreak, as well as the frequency of my outbreaks as they relate to the negative result. I'm wondering if there is any correlation between a lack of positive blood test and the frequency of outbreaks, if I do in fact have HSV2.
But for me on the other hand, my sores are not open very long, and I can never get a doctor's appointment in enough time to get them cultured.
So I'm most curious about my negative blood tests especially the one almost 6 months after the first outbreak, as well as the frequency of my outbreaks as they relate to the negative result. I'm wondering if there is any correlation between a lack of positive blood test and the frequency of outbreaks, if I do in fact have HSV2.
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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.
