Herpes IgM Test

Good evening,

I was seeing a man for about 6 months and realized he was still seeing his ex. I overheard that she might have herpes so I got tested two months after my last contact with him. I came back “mildly positive” based off the “herpes titer IgM test (1:20).” My doctor stated that the test “indicated that I had been exposed to the herpes virus.” She stated that “it does not mean that I had an outbreak and could only be infectious if I had an outbreak.”

First off, how reliable is the herpes titer IgM test? I have read mixed feelings about this test. My doctor asked me to come back in 3 months to be rechecked to “determine if I have been exposed to herpes.”  Secondly, I thought I’ve been exposed to herpes already hence why I have the antibodies? I’m confused on what she meant by her statement.

Lastly, I’ve read that once you have herpes that you will always have it and can spread it without having symptoms. I’m not aware of having any symptoms but I’m concerned since some have such mild symptoms that they do not even know they had an outbreak. How do I handle this?

Thank you very much for your time and help.

Regards,
So Confused

[gracefromHHP]

the herpes igm test is a greatly flawed test. your provider should get out of the habit of ordering it.   http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Confusiion-over-other-IgM-Herpes-posts/show/248394  is a prior post on why the test is flawed and why a + igm result for herpes isn't of much use.  odds are your igm also wasn't type specific either which is even less useful in general.  

grace

[XinPerspective]

I actually had the same experience. A week after having sex I went to get an STD test and my igm result came back positive. The doctor said that a positive igm means that I was recently exposed, but my body had no time to develop the igg antibodies yet. It totally freaked me out, and I had to wait two agonizing months before I could retest.

Well, two months later I went for a retest and I was negative! I really think the igm has a high rate of getting false negatives, or finding things that just aren't there. The point is, just wait the 3 months and don't worry about it. Pretend you never had an igm test because the results really can't be relied on.

As for spreading the virus without symptoms, that is a possibility. The herpes virus, after an outbreak, will hide in your nerve endings and be dormant, only reappearing when it is triggered by stress, illness or other factors. But people do "shed" the virus about 5-10% of the time out of the year (not sure of the exact number) even when there is no visible symptoms. So even if you are asymptomatic you can still spread the virus.