HSV 1 positive or not?

I got several HSV test results that seem to conflict. I have read alot about IGM and how it is meaningless, however, it is the IgG tests from several places/times that seem to conflict. I am concerned about having acquired HSV-2 from my past girlfriend - she was diagnosed as positive HSV-2 by IGG test 6 weeks ago. I got tested 2 weeks after the fact and 6 weeks after the fact. We only had sex twice in 1 night, and I had a condom on in both instances and immediately took a hot-shower afterwards.

Back in April, 1997:

   (Tested by American Medical Laboratories)

   HSV-1 EIA IgM Antibodies   0.34    < 0.91 negative
   HSV-2 EIA IgM Antibodies   0.63    = 1.10 positive
   HSV-2 EIA IgG Antibodies   0.40    <= 0.90 negative

   Doctor told me that I had HSV-1.  

   Remember "canker sores" as a child, but no noticeable genital sores or horrible mouth sores causing significant pain.

In July, 2008 and again in August, 2008

   (Tested by LabCorp)

   Told by letter that "HSV testing" was "all normal" (meaning negative)
   In one case, doctor told me that I didn't have either HSV-1 or HSV-2.

    Got these tests because noticed a painless lesion on meatus that disappeared 4 days later.

In early Nov. 2008  (finally got the actual lab report)

   (Tested by LabCorp)

  HSV I/II IgG Rflx I-II Type Sp (serum)   Result: < 0.9   negative < 0.9

  "Note: Negative indicates no antibodies detected to
            either HSV-1 or HSV-2. Equivocal may suggest early
           infection. If clinically appropriate, retest at a later date.
          Positive indicates antibodies detected to HSV-1 and/or HSV-2."

   Nurse practitioner told me that I didn't have HSV-1 or HSV-2.

In early Dec. 2008:

   (tested by tSTD.org)

   HSV-1 Type aB IgG          1.17H    (positive)
   HSV-2 Type aB IgG         <0.9       (negative)


So questions:

1. a. Based on these results, am I HSV-1 positive?  
    b. If so, why did the 3 tests in July, Aug, Nov 2008 read "negative" if the test way back in April 1997 read positive?  
    c. Would the latest test from tSTD.org indicate a recent positive (based on its number)?
    d. If I was infected many years ago, would the number of antibodies decrease over time ? (from a 1.56 to 1.17?)
    e. If I am positive, are the LabCorp tests unreliable?
    f. Is the tSTD.org possible a false-positive?

2. a. Waiting 6 weeks after having protected (condom-based) sex with my ex-girlfriend who tested HSV-2 positive for the first time in her life, is 6 weeks a long enough time to wait? I know people write 12-16 weeks is better, but does 6 weeks given any indication at all of any meaningful reliability to exposure to HSV-2?
    b. Condom-based sex coupled with my HSV-2 girlfriend taking Valtrex during a non-outbreak time period coupled with immediate hot-shower afterwards yields what risk of HSV-2 transmission from an infected partner to an uninfected partner?

[billyBoBo]

Somehow, my original post got screwed up-- my test in April, 1997 read:


   (Tested by American Medical Laboratories)

   HSV-1 EIA IgM Antibodies   0.34    < 0.91 negative
   HSV-2 EIA IgM Antibodies   0.63     1.1 positive
   HSV-2 EIA IgG Antibodies   0.40    <= 0.90 negative

[billyBoBo]

This post keeps getting messed up:

Back in April, 1997:


   HSV-1 EIA IgM Antibodies   0.34   negative
   HSV-2 EIA IgM Antibodies   0.63   negative
   HSV-2 EIA IgG Antibodies   1.56   positive
   HSV-2 EIA IgG Antibodies   0.40   negative

[gracefromHHP]

1. a. Based on these results, am I HSV-1 positive?  
    b. If so, why did the 3 tests in July, Aug, Nov 2008 read "negative" if the test way back in April 1997 read positive?  
    c. Would the latest test from tSTD.org indicate a recent positive (based on its number)?
    d. If I was infected many years ago, would the number of antibodies decrease over time ? (from a 1.56 to 1.17?)
    e. If I am positive, are the LabCorp tests unreliable?
    f. Is the tSTD.org possible a false-positive?

- even the best blood tests we currently have for herpes still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. Most adults have hsv1 and most who have it don't get obvious cold sores to know it.   I wouldn't even keep looking at the tests done in 1997 - the blood tests are a heck of a lot more accurate now than they were then.  I would assume that hsv2 was probably a false positive since it was so low and also you've not tested + for hsv2 since then out of the false positive range.

2. a. Waiting 6 weeks after having protected (condom-based) sex with my ex-girlfriend who tested HSV-2 positive for the first time in her life, is 6 weeks a long enough time to wait? I know people write 12-16 weeks is better, but does 6 weeks given any indication at all of any meaningful reliability to exposure to HSV-2?
    b. Condom-based sex coupled with my HSV-2 girlfriend taking Valtrex during a non-outbreak time period coupled with immediate hot-shower afterwards yields what risk of HSV-2 transmission from an infected partner to an uninfected partner?


- the risk of contracting hsv2 from your gf while she's on suppressive therapy and using condoms is 1% over the course of an entire year.  A few encounters isn't really reason to keep on testing for herpes just because you know she had hsv2.  If you really feel the need to test again, wait until it's been 4 months at least after the last time you had sex with your ex and make sure it's the herpes WB you get.

grace

[billyBoBo]

Grace--
  Thanks but for some reason I keep typing the absolutely wrong thing -- I am concerned about being HSV1 positive right now given the latest HSV1 test.

The April 1997 results were:

HSV-1 EIA IgG Antibodies   1.56   positive
   HSV-2 EIA IgG Antibodies   0.40   negative

So does what you wrote still hold for HSV-1?  Are you saying that I could have a false positive on HSV-1?


Where does one go to get a WB test?   Is that something that I can ask my doctor's office to order directly or do I need to get it through University of Washington?

[gracefromHHP]

As I said, most adults have hsv1.  You've tested + for it twice now but both are low positives so you may or may not have hsv1 but don't be surprised if you do - it's incredibly common.

Your doctor can order up the WB thru the U of washington for you.  You can have your regular doctor order up the kit or you can order it and then have your regular doctor's office draw the blood and package it for you and send it ( easier for them to do it than it is for you to try to do it on your own ).

grace

[billyBoBo]

Hi Grace-

  What is your opinion of this "immunoblot" test? Any good? What about getting both the IgM and the IgG at the same time?

Look at this website's explanation of having both -- seems like they are saying that you can derive conclusions from having values for both IgM and IgG -- do you agree with this?

http://stdweb.com/HERPES.HTM#Herpes_1&2_IgM_and_IgG_Combo_


Do you know how long WB test actually takes to get results back? I saw some writings where it may be pretty long -- not sure if that means a month,  3 months or 2 weeks or what.....