Confusing HSV 1 test results

[senseless1954]

I had a genital infection after having oral sex performed on me. I though it was a vaginal infection, but when I went to my doctors he looked at it and said he thought it my look like herpes and hopefully it was HSV 1.  He took a culture, in the meantime I told the person that I had been with what happened, he did not believe it and I told him that the doctors said this if he had ever had a cold sore in the past he could be infected with the virus. He immediately went and got tested, for himself as well as for me to bring me comfort, because he did not feel that this was what I had. He fully knowing that he was the only person I had been with. He sent me his results after they came back and his test were negative. I took a blood test which did not really show anything really. I shared his blood test with my doctor, he said he did not understand and that we will take another blood test in another month and he would talk with a couple of Infecteous Doctors and get their opinion. According to the culture that my doctor took it said that it was HSV1. He could not explain why the person that I was with test was negative. Could the culture have been wrong. I am so confused. I am afraid of anyone touching me. Can anyone help with this.

[gracefromHHP]

this is your bf's test results?

he had the igg testing done which was the right testing. there is still the false negative issue that we already discussed which can be an issue for both of you. obviously it came from one of you - either his is a false negative hsv1 igg or yours is.

grace

[senseless1954]

The test stated the following:

     Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) 1/2 IGM AB, IFA (Serum)
       HSV 1 IgM, IFA       <1:20
       HSV 1 IgM, IFA        <1:20

         <1:20 Antibody not detected

        HSV 1 IGG       (negative)
        HSV 2 IGG       (negative)

I will watch the video tomorrow, just too tired of this right now and he is sick of me talking about it. His doctor assured him that he was clean. So its my problem and somehow I am going to get some answers. I know who I have been with so I just don't have answers.

Thanks for your help.

[Mistakeguy789]

If the test only says IgM it is an IgM test Igg or igg is typically printed on the test results.

It would be good for you to watch the videos and read that handbook.  Feel free to keep asking questions here as well.

[senseless1954]

I never had chickenpox, I got vacincated when the vacine came out. I got a titer yearly and had no immunity. So if I got chickenpox it was with the vaccine.

I am going to ask him to get tested again and make sure its is the WB blood test. I just need to know the truth.

No I have not watched the video or looked at the handbook, I will take some time and do that.

Looking at his test it looks like he had the IgM, which is the wrong one and I do not know which one I had, but I will check with my doctor when he calls.

[gracefromHHP]

same reason as mistakeguy already mentioned as to why your blood test might not be accurately negative.

if you are going to retest, your partner might as well too. both of you getting herpes WB blood tests might be worthwhile.

you don't get shingles without ever having had chicken pox. either you had chicken pox very mildly as a child and your folks never noticed it was more than it was or this was actually chicken pox you had when you were diagnosed as having shingles. make sense?

these feelings of not wanting to be touched will get better . You are not herpes. You are infected with it.   there really is a difference!  Have you be chance read the herpes handbook or watched the patient counseling video on the same site yet?

[senseless1954]

Kinda, but we have not been sexual since.  I truly am in a place where I do not want anyone to touch me. I just do not understand, his test being negative. Although the breakout lasted only a week, it was painful and I never want to experience that again. I want to ask him to be retested but that might be too much to ask.  My doctor wants me to take another blood test in a month. Yes at first I though it was a vaginal infection, but it was painful and went to the doctors immediately. I looked up genital herpes first and looked at the pictures and it resembled what I saw on myself. No blisters though, more like a skin tear. Doctor took culture and it was positive for hsv1. If I had it all along wouldn't my blood test have shown it to be positive? I have never had a breakout before, I though it might have been a reaction to latex condoms because they do bother me, but not that bad. I just do not want to infect anyone else. So I was thinking about taking a daily suppressive therapy to make sure I do not pass it to him or anyone else. That if I allow myself to be touch again. This has really tripped me out. I have never had anything before. Never had chickenpox but I did get shingles last June and do not know how I got that.

[gracefromHHP]

actually we have no info as to if daily suppressive therapy is effective in reducing transmission to a partner with hsv1 genitally.  we don't usually recommend it for hsv1 genital infections. Hsv1 genitally doesn't reoccur very often and it doesn't shed very much either.  

why now and not previously? it really is as much about bad luck as anything. your partner was actively shedding hsv1 orally when they performed oral sex on you and your own body was just vulnerable at the same time.  also really no easy way to know if this is actually a newly acquired infection for you or just your first obvious recurrence of a previous genital hsv1 infection. You didn't suspect this was anything other than a vaginal infection, hard to know if the same thing happened previously for you or not too. make sense?

Are you still with this partner?

grace

[senseless1954]

Thanks for your comment. So do I ask him to get another testing? My doctor wants be to get another blood test in a month to see if my blood test result comes back positive this time. But as you say the culture are usually correct. I know that this is not a death sentence but I do not want to infect anyone else. I have never had a cold sore myself, and in the past have been with two husbands who suffered from cold sores and never have this ever happened. So it is very confusing that I am with someone who have a negative blood test and I get such a thing. I will go to the mentioned website and education myself. I never want another breakout, it was very painful, but lasted only a week to the day of the initial breakout. Doctor says I can take medication on a daily basis to avoid spreading this to anyone else.

[Mistakeguy789]

The HSV test will miss 1 out of every 10 tests.  So there is a chance he could have HSV-1 and the test missed it or that the body doesn't have detectable amounts of the anitbodies present for the test to pick up (this is low chance though).  Also what test he got is improtant.  If the test was an IgM test this was the wrong test if he had an IgG test then he would have had the right test but again like I said the first part it misses 1 out of every 10.  

Your test if it was an IgG blood test and it being negative does show an inital infection possibly.  A culture is rarely falsely positive and if so it is typically a clerical error.

You are not a walking biohazard though.  HSV-1 rarely reoccurs for some people and when it does it is more mild and doesn't last that long. Also the  shedding rate is really low.

Take a look at the Herpes Handbook at www.westoverheights.com that will give you a lot information.  Terri Warren is the owner of the clinic for that site and is also the Herpes Expert here at MedHelp.