[Question #2370] Just want to make sure

97 months ago

I’m a 25 yo female. I’ve been with 2 girls (one back in 2008, one back in 2013) and 2 boys (both before 2010). I’ve given and received oral sex from my 2 ex-gfs. I don’t have any penetrative sexual hx with the 2 guys I dated, mostly just intense kissing. So in terms of vaginal sex, I’m a virgin.
I’ve kissed a couple of other guys (maybe 5) before, 2 of them from year 2015. I’ve been single since then.
I gave a guy unprotective oral sex (in 2012), there was minimal contact with his ejaculate and my mouth but he didn’t do it in my mouth. I didn’t have any symptoms either.

Anyway, I’ve been with my current boyfriend for almost 8 mos now. He’s had maybe 5 sexual partners before and always got STD tests (always negative). We've had unprotective oral sex (to each other) but not penetrative sex for about 7 months now. A week ago we’ve decided to get STD tests just to be certain we’re clean. It’s all negative, both for him and for me.

So my questions are with regard to my HSV 2 IgG result. Mine is 0.88, which is a negative. And for my boyfriend is <0.10.

1. What conditions can cause that level (0.88) of HSV 2 (which is a lot higher than my boyfriend’s <0.10) antibodies in my blood when I have not had sex yet, just kissing and oral? I mean mine is still negative but I’m just confused why it’s kinda on the high side. Does this mean I was exposed to a positive person before? I don't know the hx of my exs.

2. Is my result a definitive NEGATIVE for HSV 2?

3. Given my history and current situation, is there a possibility that my index of 0.88 will go higher and that I can be HSV 2 positive?

4. Do I need to worry about the HSV 2 IgG having an 0.88 index?

5. Do I need to get another HSV 2 IgG test done after this one says negative on 0.88 index?

97 months ago

Also I have never had any symptoms of HSV 2 and not had cold sores, either. No previous STD tests. I’m just paranoid all the time and wondering why there’s 0.88 (compared to my boyfriend’s <0.10) level of HSV 2 IgG in my blood.

STD Test Results for reference:

HSV 1 IgG – 0.13
HSV 2 IgG – 0.88
RPR – Non reactive
Chlamydia & Gonnorhea – Negative
HIV 1/2 4th gen – Non-reactive

I know my result says negative, but I am just worried that since it's 0.88 index and close to the range of becoming positive, that it might change and go higher and I'll be actually HSV 2 positive?

I just want to put my mind at ease. I hope you can help me with that.

Thank you very much.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

97 months ago

If you have never had intercourse and you've never had genital to genital rubbing without any clothes on, HSV 2 would be almost impossible to acquire. HSV 2 orally is a rare animal and would extremely unlikely to pass through oral sex. Your index value is on the higher end but it is negative. From reading you post, it looks like your last sexual contact was in 2012, is that right? I'm not including kissing because I don't think that kissing a reasonable method of transferring HSV 2. Some people just have higher values than others - they may have a protein in their body that looks similar to one of the HSV 2 antibody proteins, but it has nothing to do with herpes. It can confuse the test. Yours is not confusing - it is negative. And think of this: for people who test and get a positive result between 1.1 and 3.5, half are false positives! So you can see that the test is imperfect and things unrelated to herpes can influence it.

From your history and your IgG result, I am not concerned that you have HSV 2 infection.

Terri
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97 months ago

There were some genital to genital rubbing between me and my ex girlfriends but the last time would have been in the beginning of 2013. And there was an incident of an I protective oral sex with a guy back in 2012 with minimal contact between his ejaculate and my mouth.

My boyfriend and I have been having unprotective oral sex for 7 months now. There's contact between bodily fluids (semen) and oral mucosa for both of us. But his HSV 2 IgG is <0.10 and his HSV 1 IgG is 0.11.

Can this sexual activities make a difference on my current 0.88 index? Like make it higher or something?

I'm sorry for all these seemingly obvious questions. I'm just worried that my index 0.88 will go higher or something.

1. So do I not need any more tests to confirm my status for HSV 2?

2. Can I move on with my life and say I'm negative for both HSV 1 and 2?

Thank you.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

97 months ago

1. I don't believe that you do. The IgG test misses about 8% of HSV 2 infections so it isn't perfect, as you may read, but that isn't the issue with you. You've not had intercourse and we aren't worried about HSV 1 infection here so I think there is no need for further testing.

2. Yes, you can.

Sexual activity of any kind would not make a difference because our partner is uninfected. That is key.'

Terri
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97 months ago

Thank you so much.

I guess I just wanted to make sure that there's no risk of me becoming positive with HSV 2, given my index of 0.88.

Thanks for saying it's clearly negative and whatever my current situation is won't affect it.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

97 months ago

Just to be absolutely clear - I did not say there is no risk of you being positive for HSV 2 - I told you that the test misses about 8% of infections compared to the gold standard western blot. That means that the test picks up the majority of infections but not every one.

Terri
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