Herpes Type Specific Test Question

Hi There,

I received unprotected oral sex about a month ago. 2 weeks later, I had
an itchy foreskin which cleared up in a day. I got nervous and went for
a test a couple of days ago. These were the results, does this mean I am
conclusive for HSV 2? I don't understand why I am positive IgM for HSV 2
but negative IgM for HSV 1 (I thought IgM were not type specific).

HSV 1 - IgM - Negative
HSV 1 - IgG - Negative

HSV 2 - IgM - Positive
HSV 2 - IgG - Negative

My Dr has said that I have Herpes! Reading this forum seems otherwise.
If IgM is not type specific why do I get a negative in one and a positive in
the other ?

Help please!  Worried Sick.

[gracefromHHP]

no std is going to cause itching for just a day.  testing for herpes 2 weeks post encounter was too early too but nothing you've mentioned sounds like genital herpes going on anyways.

the herpes igm test is a flawed test and current cdc herpes testing recommendations are not to use it. your provider needs to update their herpes testing knowledge to better serve their patients.  A + igm for hsv2 does not mean that you recently contracted hsv2. it really tells you nothing.

grace

[ray149]

Thanks Grace,

Your reply helps with the anxiety. I took the test about 4 weeks after exposure.
I will wait another 8 weeks and take another test to confirm.

Are there type specific IgM tests ? If they are not type specific why does it
show + for HSV 2 and - for HSV 1 ?

Thanks

[gracefromHHP]

there are type specific igm tests but they still have a high false positive rate so we don't recommend their use.

[ray149]

Hi Grace,

I took my tests again 8 weeks and 12 weeks after exposure, here are the results :

Results @ 8 weeks
HSV 1 - IgM - Negative
HSV 1 - IgG - Negative

HSV 2 - IgM - Negative
HSV 2 - IgG - Negative

Results @12 weeks
HSV 1 - IgM - Positive
HSV 1 - IgG - Negative

HSV 2 - IgM - Positive
HSV 2 - IgG - Negative

I do not have any symptoms and my doctor insisted I took the IgM tests as well. He is puzzled by the above results (IgM being positive @ 12 weeks for HSV1+2). How conclusive
is this now that I do not have HSV and that the IgMs were false positives ?

Thank you

[gracefromHHP]

encourage your provider to do some education on herpes testing by reading the 2010 cdc herpes guidelines. they are setting themselves up for malpractice suits if they continue to draw it on adults and diagnose anyone as having herpes from + igm results. 1 out of every 3 igm results is going to be a false positive. the igm not being positive until 12 weeks is a classic case of that since at that point, igm would be disappearing anyways. your provider wouldn't be puzzled at all if they were up to date on their education!!!

congrats on being negative!

[ray149]

Hi Grace,

Thanks for replying. The IgM was + @ 4 weeks,  - @ 8 weeks and + @ 12 weeks.
Is it common for one's IgM move in and out of +/- ?  Obviously, it would have felt alot better
to have the IgM a - @ 12 weeks as well.

Thanks Grace.

[Mistakeguy789]

The IgM is not a type specific test and is known for a high false positive rate as other things can cause IgM antibodies to be formed.