chances of false positive?

Wondering what the chances are I had a false positive during my routine pap smear the other week (my doctor takes a swab for gonnorrhea and chlamdyia), the chylamydia one came back positive.  My boyfriend of 3 years has been faithful to me, and we use condoms for birth control -- there could have been an instance or two of leakage with the condoms however, but we do use them every time.

Here is where it gets REALLY weird:  before we began having sex in autumn 2005, I had my boyfriend get tested, and through urine test at the STD clinic in our city he tested negative.  During my routine exams in 2006 and summer 2007 I tested Negative.  During the later summer & fall of 2007 I began having a vaginal infection off and on that was never diagnosed as a specific bacteria.  However, I tested NEGATIVE for chlamydia by swab again in Nov. 2007 when I went in to get this infection checked out.  And now I go for my routine exam last week a year later and test positive for chylamydia?

I do not know what tests they did, but just some speculation would be welcome......could this happen to be a false positive??  I had them re-swab me BEFORE I took any pills, because I was in total disbelief,  so I will know in a week or so.  However, hoping to conceive in a year or less and so am extremely anxious if I was having symptoms of this up to a year ago and it went untreated, what damage it might have done.

[auntiejessi]

I can't give you odds without knowing exactly what test they did, but overall, the chances are small, but no test is 100% accurate.

Your bf should also test.  If he's negative, that will lend more credence to yours being a false positive.

Aj

[chargerb]

I had another question I guess:  his last unprotected encounter would have been in 2003, i believe...and then one encounter PROTECTED in 2004.  We started dating in 2005.  I tested negative in 2005, 2006 and 2007.  then positive in 2008.  If he infected me in 2007, isn't 3-4 years a pretty long tiime for a man to have this without knowing??  Does a man's  immune system eventually get rid of it?

Thanks much for the input -- it's appreciated

[auntiejessi]

Oh yeah that's a long time.  If indeed you have it, and his last unprotected encounter was in 2003, I'd have to start wondering if he was recently infected.

Aj

[chargerb]

Thanks so much for the answers!!!  I'm hoping it was a false positive!  I couldn't find online how long men can carry this thing, so that is good to know, thank you.

[chargerb]

Sorry -- one more question.  I just found out through going on the lab's website that the test they use is the Gen-probe Aptima, I understand this is highly reliable....can you tell me the possibilities of false positive for this test?

We are low-risk -- we use condoms for birth control, I tested negative for all STDS in 2005, 2006, and twice in 2007, and my partner tested negative in autumn 2005 at an STD clinic.  His only possible exposures prior to me was with a partner in 2003 with whom he had UNPROTECTED intercourse, but she tested for STDs routinely, and in 2004 he had protected sex with a condom on 1 occasion with a woman.  Neither of us has had sex outside the relationship.

Given that scenario, can a false positive be considered despite the reliability of the test??  

thanks so much for the information!!  I go to a university health clinic and they just assume that I am positive for this without asking about my history or the fact that both my partner and myself have been very safe.  I'm very grateful for your assistance and answers -- very anxious that i do have this.

[chargerb]

PS -- so bottom line, to infect me in 2007 or 2008 he'd have to have been infected for 3-4 years.  You said above this is not likely for a male, can you give me more information about why?  THANKS again.  :=)

[auntiejessi]

You all use condoms?  I'd say this is likely to be a false positive.  The gen-probe is very sensitive, and it can sometimes, though not often, give a false positive result.  

I'm not sure you'll ever truly know.

Its more likely that men will get symptoms than women, and if they get symptoms, it would happen within a few weeks of infection, that's why I said it would be unlikely for him to go since '03 with no symptoms.

I can see the clinic's point - they have to treat everyone as if they are positive, and they don't likely have time to figure out who's really positive or not, and since most are truly positive, it doesn't make a lot of sense to do otherwise.

AJ

[chargerb]

Thanks again -- your help is truly appreciated and very reassuring.....I had them retest me so hopefully I will have an answer.  We also had him tested almost immediately after getting my result.  We were both treated, but I took the second test before I took the antibiotics.  
THANK you so much for your time!

[auntiejessi]

You're welcome, and let me know what the results say.

Aj

[chargerb]

Auntie Jessie,

We got the results of my boyfriend's test yesterday -- negative; and I got my results from that 2nd test I had the doctor take before I took any antibiotics and I was negative too!!  The doctor told me the first test must have been a false positive, so I guess I'm that odd 1 or 2 percent on the newer tests that has a false result.  What a relief.

Thank you so much for your assistance; it really kept me sane this last week!

[auntiejessi]

Oh I'm glad you have some answers.  :)   Congrats!

Aj