HSV-2 Results question

[sashi123]

Hi there,

Back in 2012, I went to my doctor for an STD screening.  He said that I tested positive for HSV-2.  

I'm normally a pretty analytical person, but never took the time to research the possibility of a false positive.  I have read folks' posts including replies from Grace and was looking to get an opinion on my situation.

My results from 2012 were:

"DETECTED" for HSV IGM AB,SCREEN.  

There's a second HSV IgM test at the bottom (hiding in the "in-range" results):

"  THIS SPECIMEN TESTED "DETECTED" FOR HSV IGM BY THE EIA
   METHODOLOGY BUT TESTED NEGATIVE BY THE CONFIRMATORY IFA
   METHODOLOGY. IF CLINICALLY INDICATED, A SECOND SPECIMEN
   SHOULD BE DRAWN AND TESTED IN 2 WEEKS"

HSV-1 HerpeSelect Spec AB:   0.65 (negative)
HSV-2 HerpeSelect Spec AB:   1.11 (SMALL 1+) (positive)

I have been researching this pretty extensively for several days now, so I am pretty sure I already know the answer to my question.  It seems to me that this is incredibly likely to be a false positive for the HSV-2 HerpeSelect AB.  I was just looking to see the opinion of the forum.  I've been living as an asymptomatic carrier of HSV-2 for some time now, thinking of getting the WB test.

[sashi123]

I know it's been a really long time, but I forgot to reply in this thread.

The Western Blot came back with an inconclusive result for both HSV1 and HSV2.  So it's still likely that my tests were false positives but it's hard to know 100%.  

[feelingundone]

You made a great choice. Terri is fantastic and will help you get to the bottom of it.
Good luck and please let me know how it turns out.

[feelingundone]

Thats exactly what I would do. Seems like you have a good handle on the odds and you are going through the propper steps. Good luck and keep me posted

[sashi123]

Thanks!  My doc has since left the practice, so I followed-up with a question to Terri Warren.  I'm thinking it will be easier to have her help arrange testing rather than try to explain everything all over again to another doctor who might not be familiar with the subtleties of these tests.

[sashi123]

Thanks for the help.  My doctor ordered another HerpeSelect with reflex to IgG inhibition:

http://education.questdiagnostics.com/faq/FAQ73

I haven't researched this test yet.  My HSV2 tested at 1.27 (still a very low positive).  Does anyone have experience with the validity of this test compared to the HerpeSelect?  "Small percentage" is a little worrisome, and it seems this is specifically related to HSV1 antibodies (I do not have HSV1).

[sashi123]

If I'm understanding this article correctly, it's roughly a 50/50 chance that the inhibition will come back with a result concordant with WB (this is by counting the little black boxes near a result of 1.25 that are above vs below 60%):  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC130895/

So maybe the best thing to do is just wait and see the results, and get the WB if it's positive?

[sashi123]

Whoops, I meant that I have been living thinking I was an asymptomatic carrier!  I should note that I have had 5 partners be "ok" with my (supposed) status since testing positive, only 1 had a bad reaction that was motivated by more personal reasons than anything else.