[Question #9803] OHSV2 or GHSV2

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28 months ago
Background:  Dec 2019 I was sexually assaulted there was penis to vagina intercouse and penis to mouth no protection for either acts. A few weeks later i came down with flu like symptoms and several painful sores in my mouth. Jan 2020 I had igg hsv 1 (59) and hsv 2( 3.38) (I've had hsv1 since childhood). In March 2022 I retested hsv 2 igg now 4.04. I have no genital symptoms that I have noticed. Since the initial sores in mouth. I have had maybe 2 other mouth sores since in the few years not as severe as thr initial and tried getting it swabbed but my doctor office messed up the test and the lab couldn't use the swab to determine hsv 2 oral status. 

Question: in your professional opinion do I have hsv 2 orally and/or genitally? 

Thank you for this forum and for answering these questions. It's important work that you are doing.
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28 months ago
Followup: I understand that without a swab test there is no true way to know but I was just looking more for probability of having both and guidance on how to proceed/statistical information for transmission(ie should I assume I have both and tell partners before kissing, etc)
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
28 months ago
HSV 2 oral infection is rare but it does happen and you are correct that there is no way to know the location of your infection without a swab test of a lesion to know if the lesion is caused by HSV 2 or not.  But if you were my patient, the first thing I would do is confirm your results are actually truly positive for HSV 2.  Your 4.04 is a little higher than we usually confirm, but lately, I've had a few false positives at 8 and two at 12 and several in the 5,6,7 range.  The IgG can be wrong, trust me.  
have you ever had an HSV test done prior to this one?

Terri
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28 months ago
The supplemental hsv2 igg test showed negative on jan 2020. 

The only lab test results I have only go back to 2016 and i do not see any antibody tests.  There was in July 2019  PCR HSV1 and HSV2 DNA test both were negative. 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
28 months ago
We are seeing very good agreement between people who get a negative supplemental from LabCorp and subsequently go one to do a western blot and get a negative.  I think you're good.  But again, if you want more certainty, do the herpes western blot.  I can help you with that at westoverheights.com.
Terri
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28 months ago
Okay thanks I have used the form on the website to begin process of western blot.

In the meantime any advice on what/when I should tell a potential new partner?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
28 months ago
I think that you could tell a potential partner that you had a preliminary positive on your herpes test but a follow-up test was negative and that is a very reliable result.

Terri
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