ANA testing

I had routine bloodwork done and have tested positive twice for the ANA test.  My primary doctor is finally sending me to a rheumatologist and sending me for more bloodwork for an ANAchoice cascade. I had requested a copy of the blood results so I could research my results. What is really confusing me is that under the ANA test it mentions HSV Type 2 Specific Ab IgG....  For what I have reserched that is the term for the herpes virus...  Can an ANA test detect this virus in your blood???  I thought ANA tests only test for autoimmune diseases not STD's???
Am I completley wrong about what I have reserched or can HSV mean something other than this???  One last thing I did get the results for the cascade and it does not mention HSV at all but the regular ANA test does??  Can someone help me to understand this???

[Garth L Nicolson, PhD]

The ANA test detects whether you are making anti-nuclear antibodies. This can occur when you have abnormal cellular degeneration and your immune system responds to the released cellular components, such as nuclear components released from dying cells.  This can happen if you have one or more systemic, chronic infections.  HSV-2 is one type of viral infection that can cause this, but there are other types of infections that can also cause this to occur, such as cell wall deficient bacteria (Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Borrelia, etc.) and other viruses.