Question:
Hi Everyone,

I think my husband possibly has Herpes. He has had this on and off for 3 years. I do not, and have not had symptoms of this virus...but my husband does. I had a blood test on 6/12, and I am awaiting my results. I had a couple of questions and hope someone can help me:

1. If exposed to Herpes, would I have built up enough antibodies in my blood for the test to be accurate? Being that I would have been exposed 3 years ago and am just having a test done now?

2. My OBGYN gave me the IGM/IGG HSV I & II test. Does anyone know which test she performed on me? That is all that is written on my fact sheet, and the type of HSV test wasnt specified....but I didnt know if the IGM or IGG stood for anything, or any particular test?

Any advice would be appreciated :)

Answer:
your antibodies would start to develop at the time of exposure.

If your husband hasn't had an active ob or asymptomatic shedding when you have had contact with him it is possible you may not have contracted herpes.

It is highly unlikely that in 3 years time you did not come into contact with the virus if you have had unprotected sexual contact. However it is possible that you did not.

If you were indeed exposed as far back as 3 years you should have developed antibodies but if you have not had an active ob recently it is possible to have a false negative test result.

I am sorry that this is so vague. It is common to have false negative blood tests for hsv. It is still possible to be infected and test negative.

You want to pay attention mainly to the result of the IgG. It will tell you if you are positive for hsv 1 or 2. They are two separate tests that detect antibodies. The IgG shows specific antibodies to hsv. The IgM shows that there has been a recent exposure and the antibodies (to my understanding) are not as specific to the hsv itself so much as an immune response to a pathogen of possible unknown origin.

The most reliable tests are the Western Blot blood test and swab cultures taken when there is an active ob with ulcers/lesions or blisters present.

Answer:
your antibodies would start to develop at the time of exposure.

If your husband hasn't had an active ob or asymptomatic shedding when you have had contact with him it is possible you may not have contracted herpes.

It is highly unlikely that in 3 years time you did not come into contact with the virus if you have had unprotected sexual contact. However it is possible that you did not.

If you were indeed exposed as far back as 3 years you should have developed antibodies but if you have not had an active ob recently it is possible to have a false negative test result.

I am sorry that this is so vague. It is common to have false negative blood tests for hsv. It is still possible to be infected and test negative.

You want to pay attention mainly to the result of the IgG. It will tell you if you are positive for hsv 1 or 2. They are two separate tests that detect antibodies. The IgG shows specific antibodies to hsv. The IgM shows that there has been a recent exposure and the antibodies (to my understanding) are not as specific to the hsv itself so much as an immune response to a pathogen of possible unknown origin.

The most reliable tests are the Western Blot blood test and swab cultures taken when there is an active ob with ulcers/lesions or blisters present.
Thank you for your explanation :) Its not that vague, I understand where you are coming from. I just have one more question:

If the test is negative, is there a certain time frame I should re-test? Just to be on the safe side? Im praying that if indeed he has Herpes, that by the grace of God it skipped me. I should know in the next couple of days. Thank you for your advice!!

Answer:
Since we don't have a definite window of possible exposure that question is difficult to answer.

Usually it is recommended to wait until 8 to as many as 16 weeks after exposure to get a reliable test period for antibodies to show.

In your case if you have a negative result today I would recommend waiting a month and trying again and so on for a while.

What would be important to know is if either of you have ever had coldsores. This type of infection would cause you to have a positive result and it does not confirm a genital infection. The fact that your husband experiences some type of genital symptoms is a good indicator of a genital infection but a blood test would not tell you if he also has an oral infection unless you see physical evidence of its existance.

It is possible to be exposed to herpes and to never have an active ob or to have it be latent for many years without symptoms.

Answer:
No, I havent had any coldsores (only pimples close to the lips), and neither has my husband. I have almost come to terms that my husband has this virus, and that I have it too. It is just a scary thought and feeling because of all the negative associations to the virus, and to the people that have it. Im just taking it one day at a time....and whatever the outcome of the test, I have to deal with it. Praying doesnt hurt though...LOL.

Answer:
I have come to the conclusion that whether it is an hsv 1 or 2 infection makes little or no difference.

If you have a coldsore most people take this in stride and don't seem to know that it is herpes. They also don't seem to realize that oral herpes infections are one of the main ways that people are infected genitally through oral sex practices.

You can have either strand of virus (hsv 1 or 2) in either location.

The stigma is probably due to the fact that most cultures have a hang up about sex (don't ask me why - it's insanity). To have a coldsore could be from a kiss from your grandma or your mom. But to have genital herpes means that you must have had sexual contact.

At one time hsv 2 was specifically regarded to be an infection of the genitals and it does prefer this location to be at its strongest but it can infect any part of the human body (as can hsv 1). If someone has this infection on their arm and you come into contact with it with your arm it is still hsv 2. It makes no sense to consider an infection of your arm per se to be genital herpes.

I would not be ashamed to get this from my spouse within a monogamous, faithful relationship. It is unfortunate and it is not pleasant but it is not an indicator of your moral standing or your sexual behavior.

If you find you are positive for hsv you will need to take precautions if you intend to have another baby you should make sure to discuss the risks with your obstetrician. It is by all means not a rare condition and risks can be reduced with careful planning and treatment.