Herpes Cultures and False Positive Results

[questions7]

How common are false negative herpes cultures? Has anyone experienced that, and if so, what was your situation?

I first noticed two sores Monday or Tuesday but did not get into my doctor's office for a culture until Friday afternoon. They were quite small by then and I'm wondering if there was enough sample to get a good result.

Thanks.

[questions7]

OOOPS. My comment should have said "Herpes Cultures and False Negative Results".

[Worriedlad90]

I noticed white spots on my penis around 6pm Wednesday night, and went to the clinic 11am Friday morning (approx 40 hours).  Doctor (specialist) visually diagnosed me with herpes straight away without hesistation.  He very matter of fact, quite cold actually!  Anyway, he did a culture and it came back negative.  

Went back to see him last week (about 5 weeks since exposure) as still aching all over, but had no more sores / lesions.  He stressed that there is a good chance the swab sould be false negative, and I shouldn't read too much into the negative reading.  

Got to for a Igg blood test in 5 weeks (13 weeks since exposure) and feel totally in limbo at moment and lost.  

(I am a male in the UK, and received oral from a girl)

[Curiousitykilledthecat1225]

Five days is quite a while to lapse before getting cultured. It is recommended that the culture be done in a 48 hour period to be accurate. If something is barely there or the skin is scabbed it is less likely that the doctors will be able to get virus on the swab if it is there.

The only thing you can do is go back in within a 2 day period if you have such symptoms again and/ or wait 12 weeks post the time you think you may have been exposed to the virus to get blood tested.

[gracefromHHP]

Lesion cultures for herpes have a very high false negative rate. If you've never been tested for herpes before, get a type specific herpes igg blood test now. If symptoms reoccur in the next couple of months, be seen again for a repeat lesion culture. Repeat the blood test again 4 months post encounter for most accurate results.

grace

[questions7]

Thanks again, Grace, for your time and advice. The doctor asked if I wanted to take the HIV and syphillis blood tests and I said yes. She did not order a herpes blood test, but I asked the lab tech to do all 3 herpes blood tests and she did. I figured then if the culture is false negative, and the blood test is positive, then I know I have it.

If both are negative, then I plan on going back in January and having the blood tests done again during my annual pelvic exam.

When I had my herpes blood tests done in January 2009 during my annual exam, HSV-1 was positive and HSV-2 was negative. I figure if HSV-2 is positive this time, then I can narrow down when I contracted the virus. Of course, if it is negative, I realize there's still the possibility that I have HSV-1 of the genitals and I won't be able to confirm that unless I see another lesion and have it cultured within 2 days.

Am I on the right track? I'm not interested in blame game or driving myself crazy with who I got it from, but  I am interested in who I would have to notify as far as past lovers.