Initial Outbreak Prodrome

Hi everyone-

I love that this site exists, and I'm very grateful for your advice.

My situation: about 3 weeks ago I had an unprotected sexual encounter with a woman (who was not my partner). A week after that I went to a clinic and got tested and preventatively treated for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. The panel and Herpes IgG test came back negative, which makes sense given that it was taken such a short time after exposure.

Since that time, I have had many of the prodrome symptoms (lasting several days)-- including tingling, shooting and burning sensations throughout my groin and buttocks, but no outbreaks. My partner, whom I disclosed my infidelity to, is convinced that I these symptoms are psychosomatic and a result of my anxiety (which is entirely possible).

My question for you is if there is any way to have an accurate test done if there are no blisters/lesions to be swabbed. Would it make sense to go get another IgG test since an additional 2 weeks have passed since the first one?

My greatest fear is unintentionally exposing my partner to herpes, though I have insisted on having safe-sex since my disclosure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

QuestioningsinPHL

Your best bet is to wait 16 weeks from the date of the encounter and have another IgG blood test done. The test measures antibodies that your body starts to develop when you get HSV. People develop these antibodies at different rates, but at 16 weeks, virtually everyone with the virus will test positive. If you have it done sooner, you run the risk of a false negative.

It's true that you need open sores to swab. I tried having a very mild sore swabbed and it didn't pick up anything. (That was after I knew I had both types of HSV, but was trying to determine which type was causing the outbreak.)