13 months into the relationship (July 2021) , she had an HSV-2 breakout (she was under extreme stress), verified by a positive swab test.  

Her blood work did not indicate any IGG index, only a Positive result.   

Prior to our meeting, she had 1 prior sexual partner, which only lasted a  couple months.  

This was her first relationship after a very lengthy marriage. 

Immediately after she broke up with him, she tested positive for HPV, but negative for HSV1/2.  

We began dating a short time after. 

About me:  I have never experienced an HSV break-out.  

In 2017, I was tested for HSV1/2.  My HSV-1 test was negative, but my HSV-2 IGG index was 1.03. 

At that time I consulted the CDC, who informed I was at no risk of transmission.   Was I mis-informed ?

Between 2017 and 2020 (when I started dating my girlfriend), I did have other partners. 

When my girlfriend received her positive result, I re-tested - in July 2021.  This time my IGG index was 6.01. 

Last week I just completed my annual physical, so I wanted to see if my index had changed.  It is now 14.9. 

Please explain why my girlfriend did not experience any breakouts/symptoms for so long?

Also, I'd like to understand how, in 3 months, my IGG index could increase from 6.01 to 14.9. 

 

Interesting case.  There could be a few things happening here.

First, if your girlfriend tested right after they broke up, it could be that she tested too soon after last having sex with him for an accurate result.  Does she have any info about his status?

When you tested in 2017, did you let at least 12 weeks go by after having sex with anyone else to do the test?  If not, then YOU may have tested too early and your equivocal HSV 2 result may have indicated a new infection recently happened. 

Or you could have acquired HSV 2 between 2017 and 2020 and didn't know it. 

Your HSV 2 index value is high and does not need confirmation to know that you are infected. 

At this point, I don't think you two will ever really know what happened here.

It is normal for the index value to vary, and this is particularly true if you used different labs to do the testing. 

Terri

I've received no feedback nor have I had contact with my partners between 2017 and 2020. 

Both of my recent tests were run by the same Lab.  

Is it normal for a index to increase that much in such a short time frame ?

Through repeated contact with her, and us passing it back and forth, would that explain the rapid increase ? 

No, that wouldn't cause the index value to rise.  I honestly don't know why it changed so much in such a short time, but it is possible that the lab used a different brand of test?  I'm not sure. 

If I had to guess what happened here, it would be that you were infected between 2017 and 2020, didn't know it and infected her recently

Terri

To me that would logically explain my increased index - True ?

It is normal for index values to vary over time, however, this is a lot of variation and I don't know why this might happen.  And I'm not clear that it matters, really.  It is not from repeated contact with her

Terri