[Question #9425] Herpes Transmission

32 months ago

Hello,

I’ll open by telling you my test results for herpes. I received the iGg test for HPV 1 and 2 6 months ago (May 2022). The results were negative. I repeated that test about a week ago (Nov 2022). Again the results were negative.

I was married to a woman who had herpes. We were as careful as we could be and used condoms if there was any doubt. Of course there were times we had unprotected sex. We are no longer together. And the last time we had sex was roughly in May of 2021.

I have not had sex with anyone else until May of 2022. She was my first and only partner since my wife. I was open about my wife’s status and she was comfortable with it so long as I got tested. We both had protected and unprotected sex with one another. We were together for about 4 months (Late August 2022).

About a week ago she contacted me and told me I had given her herpes. When she told me that I got retested. (Negative)

I have never had an outbreak during my time with my wife and up until this day I have yet to have an outbreak.

So my question is…

Is it possible that I passed herpes onto the new woman even though I’ve never had an outbreak and I had two herpes tests that came back negative? And is it possible if I did in fact infect her she would get her first outbreak 3 months after out last time having sex?

32 months ago

Sorry, I do have one other question to add...

The woman who told me she tested positive informed me that her doctor told her that it was a recent infection. How would a doctor know if it were recent or not?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

32 months ago

I think that you mean that you received the results for HSV, not HPV, correct? That is a different virus.

it doesn't fit that your recent partner has HSV and you are negative. Did you say if she had HSV 1 or HSV 2?

The testing for HSV is not perfect - it misses 8% of HSV 2 and 30% of HSV 1, compared to the gold standard herpes western blot, so it is important to know which type she has. You may wish to obtain the herpes western blot to be more certain about your results.

It appears that her doctor did an IgM test to tell her that she has a new infection. We know that the IgM test has many false positive results and the CDC says never to use it. If that is here only result to tell her she has herpes, then there is an excellent chance that it is wrong. The IgG test is the one we are most interested in. Do you know if she had that as well?

Terri

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32 months ago

Yes... I did mean HSV.

I asked what type she was diagnosed with and I have not been told. ( Our conversation had been through text)

I also asked what tests and type (I specifically asked IgG and IgM and culture) she was given and her only reply was that she was given a a swab and that blood was taken. So I really have no other information other than that.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

32 months ago

Well, for now, I think you'll just have to wait and see what happens next. You don't have near enough information to know what's going on here.

Given the statistics for your own IGG test, you can decide if you want to pursue a better test or not.

Is she just informing you? If she has HSV of either type, she certainly could have had this prior to your relationship. is she threatening you with legal action?

Terri

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32 months ago

I was just informed about two weeks ago. You're correct in saying I don't have enough information. And most questions are vaguely answered or not answered at all. For instance I'm not being told what type she's been diagnosed with. What tests (igg or img) was given other than swab was given. I have not been threatened with legal action. But like you said I guess I just have to wait and see what happens next.

Thank you for you responses.

Although, I have one final question,. Statically speaking... what are the chances someone would get their first outbreak 3-4 months AFTER their last sex act if they had been infected? She did tell me her doctor said that it does happen.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

32 months ago

Her doctor is incorrect. She might be having her first RECOGNIZED outbreak months later, but that could have come from anyone in her lifetime! It seems to me that given your negative test, you are the last person she should be accusing of infecting her.

Let me know if you need more help. I'll need to close this thread now but you can always start a new one.

Terri

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