marco2618
01-10-2005, 07:34 PM
Hi folks.
I have been scouring the web for info on herpes since I had unprotected sex with a stranger a few weeks back. I have no visible symptoms yet. Only symptom is abdominal cramps. I have been tested for the bacterial STD's, and am clean of those. My HIV tests should be in on Friday. That leaves herpes. I have heard and seen so much in regards to testing. Since I don't have lesions at this point, I guess I will have to do a blood testm but have heard many stories about their lac of accuracy. Some are better than others, but I don't know what kind I need.
Any suggestion for an accurate herpes blood test after a month?
I have been scouring the web for info on herpes since I had unprotected sex with a stranger a few weeks back. I have no visible symptoms yet. Only symptom is abdominal cramps. I have been tested for the bacterial STD's, and am clean of those. My HIV tests should be in on Friday. That leaves herpes. I have heard and seen so much in regards to testing. Since I don't have lesions at this point, I guess I will have to do a blood testm but have heard many stories about their lac of accuracy. Some are better than others, but I don't know what kind I need.
Any suggestion for an accurate herpes blood test after a month?
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beaker24
01-10-2005, 08:39 PM
You won't get a totally accurate herpes blood test after a month. If you had one done and it was positive you could be reasonably confident that it was correct, but false negatives are more common than false positives, especially after a month. You would have to wait up to 12 weeks to be confident about the test results.
marco2618
01-10-2005, 08:47 PM
What type of blood test needs to be done. I have heard of sooo many. I want to be sure my doctor runs the most accurate one available.
beaker24
01-10-2005, 09:07 PM
I understand that the Western Blot is the most accurate, but I am in the UK and I think they might do things a little differently here (can anyone else advise?)
Certainly you need to get one which is type-specific, so which tells you whether you have HSV1 or HSV2. Most adults have HSV1, which is the virus which commonly causes cold sores and causes a minority of cases of genital herpes. If you test positive for this, you may have it orally or genitally. Do you have a history of cold sores?
If you have HSV2, you can be reasonably sure that this is a genital infection as oral HSV2 infections are rare (although not impossible).
Certainly you need to get one which is type-specific, so which tells you whether you have HSV1 or HSV2. Most adults have HSV1, which is the virus which commonly causes cold sores and causes a minority of cases of genital herpes. If you test positive for this, you may have it orally or genitally. Do you have a history of cold sores?
If you have HSV2, you can be reasonably sure that this is a genital infection as oral HSV2 infections are rare (although not impossible).
marco2618
01-10-2005, 09:26 PM
If by cold sores you mean small clusters of tiny white bumps.....yes. They don't grow, itch, burst, scab, etc. I get them once every couple of years. In fact, I have them now.
So I guess I have to wait for a western blot then. Does that test automatically tell you which kind of herpes you have and where. I am sure I have HPV 1 orally. Most adults do. I am more concerned with what is downstairs.
So I guess I have to wait for a western blot then. Does that test automatically tell you which kind of herpes you have and where. I am sure I have HPV 1 orally. Most adults do. I am more concerned with what is downstairs.
beaker24
01-10-2005, 09:47 PM
A blood test can't tell you where you have the disease, only that it's in your system. In order to know for definite WHERE you had it, you would need to get any sore which turns up swabbed shortly after it appeared. So if you get any genital sores, get down to the doctor or clinic and get them swabbed. In the absence of sores, you have to go on the evidence from the blood tests.
If you test positive only for HSV1 after 12 weeks, it may be that you have just HSV1 orally, as you have now, or you could have it genitally too (people say that you can't get HSV1 again in another place once you have it, but let me tell you that you can!). You won't know unless you have genital symptoms which can be tested for HSV1 - and if it is HSV1, you may never get them as the virus is in most people far less virulent genitally than HSV2 is.
If you test positive for HSV2, then you can be pretty sure that you have it genitally. You can get HSV2 on the mouth but it's rare and practically unheard of in someone who already has oral HSV1.
If you test positive only for HSV1 after 12 weeks, it may be that you have just HSV1 orally, as you have now, or you could have it genitally too (people say that you can't get HSV1 again in another place once you have it, but let me tell you that you can!). You won't know unless you have genital symptoms which can be tested for HSV1 - and if it is HSV1, you may never get them as the virus is in most people far less virulent genitally than HSV2 is.
If you test positive for HSV2, then you can be pretty sure that you have it genitally. You can get HSV2 on the mouth but it's rare and practically unheard of in someone who already has oral HSV1.