Can Herpes Be Transmitted Through Unprotected Sex?

Posted on Thu, 9 Jun 2016

Question: I had a vaginal pool std panel done on 6/23 and everything came back negative. I started dating a guy in Sept. and we had unprotected sex and at the end of October he had a herpes outbreak and went and had blood work IGG testing and it was negative but in Dec. his was positive. I started to get sick at the end of Oct having fever, body aches and lower abdominal pressure but no outbreak . Went to med express on 11/11 and my swab came back negative but my HSV1 IgG came back 35.9. since then I have had several outbreaks. Could I have been the one that gave this to my boyfriend? Everything I read says that no you don't usually get sick like I did unless it was and initial out break and I have never had any problems until after he had an outbreak . But why would my Igg be so high if it was my initial outbreak?

Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
From the scenario it seems as though you got it from him

Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.

Thank you for writing to us.

I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. IgG levels can be as yours was even during an initial outbreak, and usually gradually elevates to reach a detectable level, so I wonder why you doubt that your result or that yours was not an initial outbreak.

In my opinion, it seems like :

1. Either he has had herpes in the past, and may be has not told you about it

2. Or he had the outbreak in October, because he was exposed to it some time before he met you, possibly from another source; as it does take some amount of time for IgG levels to rise and become detectable.

It seems to me like you could have got it from him, based on the scenario provided by you ma'am.

I hope you find my response helpful ma'am. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.

Best wishes.

Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar