False negative on a herpes blood test??

[paulgosha]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum and thought I'd ask you all this because I can't find a good answer on Google.

 

I tested positive for HSV 2 about 3 months ago. When I contacted the girl who gave it to me, she went to her OBGYN, got the full run of tests, and said all of her results came back negative. I guess usually the next step would be to contact any other partners I may have had, but she was the only person I've been with in years. My question is, is a false negative on a blood test for herpes possible??

[WCSDancer2010]

Welcome to the forum.....hope we can help but your mind to rest. You are among friends here :)

 

Adrial may have info but as I recall there are more likely to be false positives.

 

One thing I Do know is that many people harbor the virus for many many years before their first recognized outbreak. In the last week I have met 2 women who got their first OB's at 27 and 32 years .... the latter was married that whole time...her hubby tested negative. Thankfully their Dr told them she could have carried it asymptomatically for all that time... I imagine it was pretty awkward in that house for awhile... it's been 2 years and I don't think she has had another OB.

 

So you may never find out exactly where you got the virus... but it wouldn't hurt to get them to get tested....

 

(((HUGS)))

 

 

[paulgosha]

Thank you! The thing is, we were together for 9 years. I was faithful and she wasn't. We had sex many of times when I had an outbreak (before I knew what it was). If the only way to spread it is through "viral shedding", then wouldn't she have contracted it then, if I WAS the one infected first?

 

[Aerial2013]

My Dr said that false negative on blood tests is possible if there hasn't been enough time for the body to build antibodies to levels that register in the labs. On one post here on the site, a timeframe of 4 months after initial o/b symptoms was recommended to really be able to trust the results. Not sure how I feel about my own supposedly "inconclusive" tests lately, so I'm going to get a second opinion. Best wishes, paulgosha! As your journey w/the tests unfolds, come back to share, because many of us are very interested to know what other people are experiencing.

[paulgosha]

Thank you!

[mr_hopp]

Hey Paul and welcome!

 

If you had sex with her many times when you had an outbreak, then chances are you would have passed herpes to her since that's by far the most infectious time. Actual herpes outbreaks are when the virus sheds to the point of overloading, which results in an actual visible outbreak. Herpes outbreaks are viral shedding on overdrive. So if she didn't get herpes, you probably didn't have herpes. But this is also a timing thing like Aerial said. The body takes on average 12-16 weeks to produce enough antibodies to be detectable in herpes blood tests. Also, if you go in for an STD checkup, unless you specifically say that you would like to get tested for herpes, they won't include that in the screening. Did she specifically ask for a herpes-specific blood test?

 

Here are other forum posts on this topic if you'd like to read them:

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1714/how-is-this-possible/p1

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1333/newbie-confused-how-i-got-herpes/p1

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1707/herpes-blood-test-question/p1

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1656/herpes-test-a-false-positive-is-it-possible/p1

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1654/obsessing-should-i-retest-for-herpes/p1

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1831/hsv-blood-tests/p1

[paulgosha]

Thank you fpr the links! I think I like this forum, seems to be a lot of strong people in here with a lot of support, and its very encouraging to read the threads and hear that other people are going through the same thing and how they deal with it.

She said she asked for the hsv test.

[mr_hopp]

Well shoot, Paul. We like you, too, bro. Okay, well that is strange then. 9 years together would have meant she would have gotten herpes from you if you had it and were having outbreaks (if that's what those were), but if she was cheating on you, then maybe she contracted it within the last 3-4 months, gave it to you, you had an outbreak, but it's still within the 3-4 month window where she doesn't have detectable antibodies yet? That's my best educated guess based on the information you've provided thus far.

[WCSDancer2010]

Adrial:

 

I was with my ex-hubby for quite awhile (at least a year - maybe 2 as I recall) having sex with OB's before he got it..(I thought it was a rash until he was diagnosed...it was in the 80's and minimal info was out there about it...most of it incorrect anyway) ... so it IS possible she got lucky and dodged the bullet and Paul got it elsewhere..

 

This H thing seems to be a VERY slippery bugger.....

[mr_hopp]

Yeah, that's true, WCS, but women are 2.5x more likely to get H than men because of more genital mucous membrane, so it seems that it's much more likely that if sex was had during outbreaks that she would have gotten herpes, but there's definitely no way to get a definitive answer, unfortunately, Paul.

 

WCS - quote of the day: "H is a very slippery bugger ..." Indeed. :)

[paulgosha]

It just doesn't seem right that I hadn't been with anyone else in such a long time and she had cheated multiple times with multiple partners (I later found out), and admitted to not using protection and she NOT be the one that gave it to me... o well, I guess it doesn't matter who gave it to who I just gotta keep it moving either way.