It’s been years since my last sexual encounter. 3 to be exact. A year after I got 2 pimple looking things on the border of my buttcheek and upper thigh and this past year a single pimple resembling bump on my labia. Regrettably I got neither swabbed. 

I don’t remember when it started exactly but for at least a year I’ve had itching all over my vulva. On the inner and outer labia majora and minora. It’s not constant all the time, but I do feel it periodically throughout the day or at least once a day, everyday, for the past year. No off days or weeks. Aside from the 3 bumps I mentioned before, I have not had other bumps even during the itching. 

This past month I had cuts on my inner labia majora and had them swabbed the day after noticing them, and they came back negative for both hsv 1 and 2. I’ve been swabbed for 

There are many problems with HSV blood antibody testing.  First, IgM testing should never be done - many of the largest labs have stopped doing them and in my hands, at least 90% of IgM tests that are positive without a positive IgG never end up with being a positive IgG.  Also, some people order combined HSV 1 and HSV 2 testing and that isn't appropriate or useful either.  In addition, there are many false positives on the IgG test, especially in the range of 1.1 to 3.0.  I've seen false positives up to an index value of 17.  If you've not had symptoms that are consistent with herpes (which I don't think you have), be especially careful in understanding the results that you obtain.  In data that I recently presented to the FDA, looking at the last 6 months of my patient lab reports, 49% of the positive IgG tests were false positives, when compared to the western blot that has been ordered.  If you would like to share your IgG test results here, I can help you understand, unless of course, they were both negative (HSV 1 and 2).  

We are required to answer within 48 hours and I'm not sure where this falls but I will check with ASHA about a possible refund.

Terri

When it’s said contact can spread herpes does that mean strictly direct contact or does indirect spread as well? 

If a hand touched a herpes infected area, then a soap bottle, washed hand, touched the same soap bottle, then a phone, could the phone spread the virus as well? 

Direct contact is necessary for transmission to occur. 

The scenario with the soap bottle and phone presents no risk of herpes transmission at all.

Terri

I took the HSV II test offered on STDCHECK (which goes to Labcorp) and my test came back positive 1.29 and the supplemental test came back positive as well. 

It’s been about 3 years since my exposure and the onset of symptoms so I feel inclined to believe these results. They offered an additional confirmation test but I don’t believe it to be the western blot and I’m not quite sure I understand the western blot process or if it’s worth doing in my position? I have whitish bumps on my labia minora that I’m pretty sure are herpes blisters so I think I will just accept I’m positive. Thank you for the help. 

Terri