[Question #2742] HSV 2 Confusion Please Help! IgG IgM confusion

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94 months ago

Hi Terry,

 

I am the one who had a question regarding IgG negative but IgM positive (borderline) after 1.5 post any risky sexual activity via sex worker (my worst and biggest mistake). This is my history of sexual activity :

1. Protected vaginal sex ( 2.5 years ago)

2. Received oral sex (1.5 years ago)After post 1.5 years (now)

 

I tested all available std to be checked (post 1.5 years or 9 months). HIV, Syphillis, Gonnorhea, Clamydhia, HSV 1, HCV all negative) with HBV i've been vaccinated. But, there is one abnormality :

HSV 2 IgG negative HSV 2 IgM positive (repeated after borderline).

 

I was shocked bcs I thought if i had herpes 1.5 years ago i would have IgG positive, not IgM.

Then, post 2 weeks after this test, I tested again for IgG (CDC said IgM is a bad test).

 Result : HSV 2 IgG negative 0.09    if positive >1.1

Reading the result and consulting to 2 doctors and you, everyone said I should move on and the IgM was false positive.

 

Then, today after 10KM run event, immediately after finishing I had burning sensation and redness on my inner left thigh. I've never had this kind of redness and burning sensation like this before. It still burning and hurts right now. After afternoon sleeping, I also felt feverish and got 37.4 C on my thermometer. I've sent the pict to my doctor and they said its just a irritation. But i've never felt burning sensation like this before.

 

The question is : 

1. Should I be concern about herpes? After 2x IgG testing negative post 1.5 years of the sexual encounter? Is it possible that I contracted herpes?

2. If(worst case scenario) I am hsv 2 positive,  can I infect it to my ex-girlfriend? We never had any oral, vaginal, and anal sex (the girl is very clean and religious) but we have done mutual masturbation (though she never released her underwear) where i had grabbed my penis and put my hands through her underwear. And we also had dry humping (though she never released her underwear) where my thigh area can touch her thigh area?

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94 months ago
I mean *received oral sex (1.5 years ago) then space

After post 1.5 years (now) I tested ...
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
94 months ago
I honestly believe that you can and should put this worry behind you completely..  Your negative IgG and really limited sexual contact that you describe do not put you at risk for HSV 2 infection. Receiving oral sex is just not a rational way to get HSV 2 genital infection.  And even in the wild, crazy event that you did get HSV 2, the activities that you describe having with your partner did not put her at any risk of getting HSV 2.  It's such a shame that someone ordered this test for you - such a terrible test and puts so many people on edge. 

Terri
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94 months ago
Thankyou for the reassurance Terri...

So the rash on my inner thigh is not herpes? I would describe it as a painful to touch and burning sensation red rash in the beginning. After that, red dots of blood came out of the rash. It is still burning right now... But it erupted after I ran, also a fever came up after (still feverish right now). Is that scenario a possible scenario of herpes? Or is it just blisters from the very beginning?

Maybe its just this stigma and stress that caused me this anxiety... I also scared that i won't be able to have a partner in the future, as I lost my ex because I told her i might have herpes and std (though all negative tests).... Also if I have done 4 set of HBV vaccines in my childhood, and also a booster at 6 years of age, would I still be immune from HBV (I'm 21 yo)?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
94 months ago
No, the rash that you describe sounds nothing at all like herpes to me.  The rash sounds more like a bad fungal infection to me.  Have you tried treating it with anything like an antifungal?  Yes, herpes presents initially with blisters. 
Yes, no booster is recommended for Hep B.
Have you gotten the HPV vaccine as well?

Terri
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94 months ago
Hi Terry,

So currently the rash is starting to peel of and dry after 4 days... And after a day after the rash started to appear, the discomfort and pain in the area disappeared completely. So describing the nature of this rash and the appearance of it after long distance running, my dr said that this is not herpes. Do you agree with my dr completely? But I still confused to why did I have a mild fever hours after the appearance of the rash, but it disappeared a day after.... Is it atypical of herpes fever?

Also, can initial herpes outbrakes can  happen 18 months after the incident?

And so I have a hypothesis, if I were to get herpes 18 months ago, and can withstand that long without symptoms, it would be because of the antibodies fighting in my body. But, after 18 months and 20 months, IgG in my body is still not detectable. So does this prove that I should 100% move on with herpes, and should not test again? 

Thanks
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
94 months ago
I agree this does not sound anything like herpes.  Herpes doesn't often cause a fever, let's be clear about that. 
Initial herpes does not happen 18 months later than the exposure, no
I would suggest that you not test again, but if you can't help testing, do the western blot, not the IgG for greatest accuracy.

Terri
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