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Could this be a false positive?
I just found out today my four year old son has been diagnosed with herpes simplex virus. I was diagnosed with genital herpes last month. According to my test results I am positive 1.89 for herpes type 1 and negative for oral herpes. However, my son just got tested last week and he is positive for oral herpes, i think the Dr. said a high 5.6, it was really high. I noticed he had been having flu like sickness and a fever. I was concerned he had the flu so took him to his usual dr. I mentioned he had a break out on his neck, arms and legs that I thought could be chicken pox. Without testing him and upon visual examination they said it wasnt chicken pox.
A few weeks later, I noticed a very small blister on his lip. I was almost certain it had to be herpes. I immediately put a topical cream I use for outbreaks called dynamaclear which can be used either oral or genital. It almost immediately went away. I took him to the dr later that day and the blister completely disappeared. As a matter of fact they told me he probably bit his lip and werent even going to test him for herpes, but I insisted they did.
Sure enough they called me this morning to let me know he indeed has herpes. They told me that his IgG was in the 5.0 range and rather high. I was tested last month and my IgG was negative and my IgM was positive 1.89, what does all this mean? I have never had a cold sore, not once. The only thing I can think happened is that my herpes type one test is a false negative and that i must be an asymtomic shedder of the virus, but are you still contagious for herpes one if you are a asytomic shedder? I know you are for genital herpes. I am so upset. I can only think he got it from drinking out of my cup when I didnt notice. I have been pretty much on top of things as far as being cautious and extra sanitary. I clean the toliet after each use with cholorox wipes, constantly wash my hands, and his and clean the shower or anything I even touch.
I feel like I have been so careful, I dont understand how he still could have contracted this disease. I cried when the dr. told me the results and now my only hope is that it is a false positive and maybe he had another virus, such as chicken pox that maybe interfered with the test results. I am going to get him retested as well as retest myself, but now I am afraid of the test results...I mean how accurate are they...really?
A few weeks later, I noticed a very small blister on his lip. I was almost certain it had to be herpes. I immediately put a topical cream I use for outbreaks called dynamaclear which can be used either oral or genital. It almost immediately went away. I took him to the dr later that day and the blister completely disappeared. As a matter of fact they told me he probably bit his lip and werent even going to test him for herpes, but I insisted they did.
Sure enough they called me this morning to let me know he indeed has herpes. They told me that his IgG was in the 5.0 range and rather high. I was tested last month and my IgG was negative and my IgM was positive 1.89, what does all this mean? I have never had a cold sore, not once. The only thing I can think happened is that my herpes type one test is a false negative and that i must be an asymtomic shedder of the virus, but are you still contagious for herpes one if you are a asytomic shedder? I know you are for genital herpes. I am so upset. I can only think he got it from drinking out of my cup when I didnt notice. I have been pretty much on top of things as far as being cautious and extra sanitary. I clean the toliet after each use with cholorox wipes, constantly wash my hands, and his and clean the shower or anything I even touch.
I feel like I have been so careful, I dont understand how he still could have contracted this disease. I cried when the dr. told me the results and now my only hope is that it is a false positive and maybe he had another virus, such as chicken pox that maybe interfered with the test results. I am going to get him retested as well as retest myself, but now I am afraid of the test results...I mean how accurate are they...really?
the blood tests we currently have for herpes aren't accurate in kids under the age of 14. repeatedly getting blood tests on your son isn't helpful. In children his age, lesion cultures of symptoms are most accurate. Bottom line is - 30% of kids his age have hsv1 orally. It's incredibly common. Should you really need peace of mind, should he get another cold sore, he can be seen within a day or two of it appearing for a lesion culture but generally in kids we diagnose oral herpes with just visual diagnosis only. I wouldn't continue to use dynamiclear on his oral symptoms - it's a formulation for adults, not children and has ingredients in it that can trigger allergic reactions/skin sensitivities so I'd be hesitant to use it on a child of his age myself.
As for your own testing, did you mean 1.89 for hsv2? if so, that's a really low positive and you need additional testing done to confirm your status. It has a high chance of being a false positive. Even if you do really have hsv2, absolutely no reason to clean the toilet after each time you use it!!! you will not transmit genital herpes through routine day to day activities/contact. It is called a sexually transmitted infection for good reason and we don't have that sort of contact with out children.
Even the best blood tests for herpes miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. No way to know if you really do have hsv1 or not. Statistically 1 out of every 2-3 people your son has ever been around has has it so he could've contracted it from anyone.
keep asking questions!
grace
As for your own testing, did you mean 1.89 for hsv2? if so, that's a really low positive and you need additional testing done to confirm your status. It has a high chance of being a false positive. Even if you do really have hsv2, absolutely no reason to clean the toilet after each time you use it!!! you will not transmit genital herpes through routine day to day activities/contact. It is called a sexually transmitted infection for good reason and we don't have that sort of contact with out children.
Even the best blood tests for herpes miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. No way to know if you really do have hsv1 or not. Statistically 1 out of every 2-3 people your son has ever been around has has it so he could've contracted it from anyone.
keep asking questions!
grace
Hello.
The answer to your question is the tests are pretty good, though they aren't 100%.
Yes, false positives are more common than false negatives.
I am sorry to hear about how you felt when they gave you this news. But understand, your child probably got it from someone else's cup. More than Half of the population has oral herpes, and most people who get it, get it when they are children.
IMO, I think You had a false positive, and your child got it from someone else.
The answer to your question is the tests are pretty good, though they aren't 100%.
Yes, false positives are more common than false negatives.
I am sorry to hear about how you felt when they gave you this news. But understand, your child probably got it from someone else's cup. More than Half of the population has oral herpes, and most people who get it, get it when they are children.
IMO, I think You had a false positive, and your child got it from someone else.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
