Dr. Hook was very clear that it never takes more than 6 weeks (45 days if you're splitting hairs) for the HIV AgAb (4th generation) blood tests to become positive. All tests after that interval from the exposure you are concerned about were unnecessary and simply reconfirmed your earlier results. Stop testing!

As for herpes, I'm going to expand on the reassurance you had from Terri and Dr. Hook. In my view it is certain you did not acquire HSV2 during the exposure a year ago. Terri's 92% figure is the proportion of people with known HSV2 who have positive results on the standard blood tests -- i.e. only 8% have false negative result. But that's not the only evidence to consider. Your sexual contact was 18 days before she developed her symptoms, and the evidence is conclusive that she had a newly acquired (primary) infection. Symptoms of primary HSV2 usually start 3-5 days after exposure, rarely more than 8-10 days, so you had at least a week and likely a two week buffer before she acquired the infection. In other words, there is no realistic possibility you were exposed to HSV2 during that event; she didn't have it yet. Absence of symptoms on your part is also is evidence against being infected. Yes, asymptomatic HSV2 infections occur and are not rare. However, that's often because people just don't notice or understand the significance of mild symptoms. When someone is anxious and on the alert -- as you obviously were -- most newly infected people will know it.

So the answer is yes, you can be "VERY confident" (i.e. nearly 100% certain) you do not have HSV2. If somehow I had been in your situation -- which certainly could have been possible back in my dating days -- I would have been seeking and feeling comfortable having sex with new partners 8-10 months ago. Moving back into the dating game now would not be irresponsible at all.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD