Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
STDs (Expert Forum)
What does varicella has to do with the herpes test?
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
What does varicella has to do with the herpes test?
by luchia, Oct 04, 2005 12:00AM
Thank you for answering my question Dr. HHH. My question is what does varicella has to do with the herpest test? My doctor sent me for a test when I had a recurrence on my leg last year and it came out - varicella-zoster virus IGG AB, in range >5.00 reference range EIA value. It said the presence of varicella zoste virus IGG antibody suggesta recent or past infection. Varicella-zoster virus IGG, EIA reliably measure immunity due to previous infection but is unsuitable for the detection of post-vaccination immune status. I was vaccinated for varicella twice (by mistake) when I was a child. I don't understand if what I have on my leg is due to the vaccination? or if what I get on my leg is just simply herpes. Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Oct 04, 2005 12:00AM
, Oct 04, 2005 12:00AM
You didn't need to pay $10 to start a new thread. This question would have been an appropriate follow-up to your original question.
Everybody who has had chickenpox or who has received the varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine will have that result. It is "unsuitable" to measure post-VZV immunization, because not all people who get vaccinated will have a positive result. But the opposite is not true; if positive, it can be due either to infection or vaccinatation. (The explanatory statements that accompany many lab test results often are crafted by the legal department to reduce the risk of lawsuit in the event somebody misinterprets the result.) In any case, you may well have been exposed to VZV as a child, with or without overt chickenpox, before you were vaccinated. At this point, you probably will never know whether your positive VZV antibody test is the result of your childhood immunization or an undiagnosed infection.
More important, recurrent herpes zoster (shingles) is extremely rare; most people who get shingles have only 1 or 2 episodes their entire lives. You can be certain your leg lesions are due to your HSV-2 infection, not your VZV immunization or infection.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Everybody who has had chickenpox or who has received the varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine will have that result. It is "unsuitable" to measure post-VZV immunization, because not all people who get vaccinated will have a positive result. But the opposite is not true; if positive, it can be due either to infection or vaccinatation. (The explanatory statements that accompany many lab test results often are crafted by the legal department to reduce the risk of lawsuit in the event somebody misinterprets the result.) In any case, you may well have been exposed to VZV as a child, with or without overt chickenpox, before you were vaccinated. At this point, you probably will never know whether your positive VZV antibody test is the result of your childhood immunization or an undiagnosed infection.
More important, recurrent herpes zoster (shingles) is extremely rare; most people who get shingles have only 1 or 2 episodes their entire lives. You can be certain your leg lesions are due to your HSV-2 infection, not your VZV immunization or infection.
Regards-- HHH, MD
HHH, MD