About two weeks ago, my annual wellness checkup (Physical) results showed that I tested equivocal for HSV 2. Now this news was concerning. My fiancé whom I have been with, faithfully, two years was equally disturbed. In September 2015, I was tested before we could ever have unprotected sex vaginally, and or orally (from her). That test results, negative for both HSV 1 & 2. In May 2016, I had my annual wellness check and I had the PCP again do the STD check (this is an optional test at Dr. Office), the results again came back negative. From May 2016 until May 2017 I have had zero, I mean absolutely zero, sexual contact with any female other than my Fiancé. I now have come up equivocal for HSV 2, my PCP, suggest that I retake the test in 4 weeks. 4 weeks seemed like an eternity to us so we decided to get a second opinion. I went to an Any Lab Test Now facility and had the HSV 1 & 2 test. The second test came back positive for both (>5.00 for HSV 1 and 1.33 for HSV 2). This news was devastating. We finally came together and decided to move on upon our belief that due to our frequency of unprotected sex she was also positive for both. She took her test at the same lab. I scheduled a follow-up with my PCP to ask important questions for moving forward in life with HSV 1 & 2 in terms of future children, sex, loving our daughter. Her test results showed that she is positive for HSV 1(>5.00) and negative for HSV 2 (.26). At my appt. with my PCP he states that the only way I could have become HSV 2 infected is through some kind of sexual exposure. Here is the disaster, that means that I must have cheated on my fiancé' at some point between May 2016 and May 2017. My question; is it possible that I could have gotten that infection either prior to my negative test(s) and the results never showed? Alternatively, that I could have been infected through some kind of nonsexual oral exposure (I do smoke marijuana socially)?

 

Your HSV 2 is a low positive and may well be a false positive (85% chance).  The CDC recommendation here is that you do a confirmatory test, preferably a herpes western blot.  This is done only at the University of Washington - you can send for a kit and have your doctor draw it, spin it and you can ship it.  There is no special time to do this since you've had only your partner as a partner for this long  Try not to worry - I'm guessing you will test negative by the blot.  I think a false positive is more likely than having the test miss a previous infection.

Terri
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Thanks for the reply. This is very good news I will definitely be taking the western blot test sooner than later. However, with the 15% chance it is legitimate is HSV 2 only contracted through intercourse? Meaning is it possible for someone to the HSV 2 virus elsewhere on the body? Is there a such thing as a false negative?

HSV 2 is transmitted via sexual contact only, correct.  The rate of a false negative on the western blot is less than 1%.

Terri
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