Do antibodies dissapear over time?

[iprayy]

Hi,

If a type specific blood test is taken and the  igg is as follows: HSV2 --  NOT DECTECTED.
Is the test stating that you have NEVER been in contact with genital herpes in the past?  As in 2 or 5 or even10years, PAST??

And do Antibodies disappear over time? As in 2 or 5 or 10 years f time?????

If the above 2 questions are answered I would be very very greatfull.


Thank you

[iprayy]

Thank you.  I doubted them because 10years ago I was told I had HSV2 because back then I think they could not differentiate between the herpes 1 & 2 and had no type specific tests & when the results came back with HSV positive, my doctor told me I had it.

But thank you very much for answering my question about antibodies. That has helped me alot. In the last 1year I have had 2 more blood tests and they have come back as IGG - hsv2 NOT DETECTED.

Iprayy

[gracefromHHP]

In the vast majority of folks, the blood tests for herpes are going to get accurate results. There is about 2% of folks who won't test accurately for hsv2 on them.  There is also something called seroreversion that occurs sometimes but how often we have no good idea of ( + on blood tests at one point but later on - ).  In most studies it's a very small amount of folks and some of the studies are questionable because of the tests they are using without confirmatory tests for low positives.  Is seroreversion something you really need to worry about? not really.  If someone tells you that something is 98% accurate, there's no need to worry that you are one of the 2%.  It happens ( as we know from other posters on the board ) but not often.  

What makes you doubt your results?

grace

[petal130]

Being in "contact" with herpes doesn't mean anything. You either have herpes or you don't. When you have skin to skin contact with someone who has it, AND it is transmitted to you, then you have herpes.

Antibodies do not disappear, ever.