Aa
test results
approximately two weeks ago a girl gave me oral sex. a few day later i started to feel a burinig sensation on my urethra. a few days after that i had a super stiff neck and a general tired feeling. On monday i decided to get tested. Everything came out negative except for my IGM test. I guess they had a hard time to figure it out because i just got the result for my IGM test today. The igm came out to be 1.10 h just barely making it positive. I know that this test can sometimes be wrong. I had chicken pox 16 years ago when i was a kid. Could the IGM test pick up on that? Are the symptons typical of herpes? So far no outbreaks. Do you recommend getting retested in 6 weeks or so?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. I'll try to help.
Your symptoms are not suggestive of herpes, and I would not have recommended testing for it. My main advice is that if you have not been professionally evaluated, i.e. if your testing so far is only through an online source or lab, your next step should be to see your primary care provider or your local health department STD clinic. If your symptoms are related to your oral sex exposure 2 weeks ago, nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) is much more likely than herpes, but it requires in-person evaluation for diagnosis.
You are correct that the HSV IgM antibody test "sometimes can be wrong", but that understates the situation. In most cases, the IgM result is completely unreliable. Here is a thread that explains the situation in detail; although 4 years old, the information remains accurate: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/248394
As the other thread says, false positive IgM tests are not usually due to cross reaction with other herpes group viruses; your past chicken pox probably has nothing to do with it.
In response to your closing question, I see no need for additional HSV testing. However, I cannot guarantee you aren't incubating a new HSV infection, so you could consider a follow-up IgG test (don't repeat the IgM!) about 3 months after the sexual exposure. In the meantime, if your symptoms are continuing, see a health care provider.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Your symptoms are not suggestive of herpes, and I would not have recommended testing for it. My main advice is that if you have not been professionally evaluated, i.e. if your testing so far is only through an online source or lab, your next step should be to see your primary care provider or your local health department STD clinic. If your symptoms are related to your oral sex exposure 2 weeks ago, nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) is much more likely than herpes, but it requires in-person evaluation for diagnosis.
You are correct that the HSV IgM antibody test "sometimes can be wrong", but that understates the situation. In most cases, the IgM result is completely unreliable. Here is a thread that explains the situation in detail; although 4 years old, the information remains accurate: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/248394
As the other thread says, false positive IgM tests are not usually due to cross reaction with other herpes group viruses; your past chicken pox probably has nothing to do with it.
In response to your closing question, I see no need for additional HSV testing. However, I cannot guarantee you aren't incubating a new HSV infection, so you could consider a follow-up IgG test (don't repeat the IgM!) about 3 months after the sexual exposure. In the meantime, if your symptoms are continuing, see a health care provider.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The cut-off is 0.9, and all numbers lower than that are equally negative. There is no difference at all between 0.07 and 0.37; such differences have to do with the chemistry of the test and the higher number does not mean there is "a little bit" of anti-HSV antibody.
are the herpes type 2 igm test levels meaningless even though its elevated to .37 compared to .07 type 1? sorry if iam asking to many questions.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You cannot have swollen neck glands from a herpes infection of the genitals.
HSV-2 is almost never transmitted from mouth to genitals, because even among people with HSV-2, very few have oral infections -- and when they do, they rarely have recurrent outbreaks or asymptomatic viral shedding.
No STDs cause sore throat or "phlegm in the throat". (Even gonorrhea of the throat usually is asymptomatic.) Your partner's symptoms have their obvious everyday explanations, i.e. garden variety viruses, bronchial irritation from smoking, etc. You might have caught a cold from her, which is an infinitely more liklely explanation for your possibly inflamed neck lymph nodes, and some cold viruses can infected the urethra by oral sex.
HSV-2 is almost never transmitted from mouth to genitals, because even among people with HSV-2, very few have oral infections -- and when they do, they rarely have recurrent outbreaks or asymptomatic viral shedding.
No STDs cause sore throat or "phlegm in the throat". (Even gonorrhea of the throat usually is asymptomatic.) Your partner's symptoms have their obvious everyday explanations, i.e. garden variety viruses, bronchial irritation from smoking, etc. You might have caught a cold from her, which is an infinitely more liklely explanation for your possibly inflamed neck lymph nodes, and some cold viruses can infected the urethra by oral sex.
do you have a explination for the possible swollen lymph nodes on my neck a week ago? if this an symptom of herpes is an outbreak imminent? my igm test on herpes type 2 was .37 theoretically is it more likely that i have herpes type 2? can someone have type 2 herpes in their throat and transmit it to someone elses the genetal area? iam only asking this because she seemed to have a sore throat or phlem on her throat. she is a smoker. sorry if i sound a paranoid
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
