Positive and Negative HSV2 Results

[wineman62]

Folks, I really don't know what to think. I had a protected contact with a female, whose status I did not know. I got nervous and got STD tests done about 3-4 weeks after contact. All tests have come back negative, except the following scenario. The first HSV test was an IGG test (not sure if it was type specific) at Planned Parenthood. The test result came in positive for HSV2 (HSV1 was negative) - at about 1.36. I then took a type specific HSV1/2 IGG test a few days later (done through Labcorp) that was completely negative for both HSV 1 and 2. I went to my doctor at about week 4, and he tested me for all STDs. Everything was negative, except the IGG HSV2 test, which was positive at about 1.34. So, in this 4 week window, I had one slightly positive test (not sure the type of test run by Planned Parenthood), one type specific test at Labcorp which was negative, and one IGG test from my doctor that was slightly positive. There have been no other contacts since this last contact.

During this time, I was feeling some irritated skin sensations underneath the base of my penis - between the penis and scrotum. I have noticed that I think I have sebaceous prominence underneath the shaft of my penis, but I'm not sure if this can cause any skin irritation. It's amazing what you find when you are really looking! I also have what my doctor has determined is come kind of heat rash on both sides of the inside groin area - which I have battled for quite some time - between the leg and groin area. It doesn't really bother me at all, but I wonder if it is a bacterial infection?

Here is the part that I just can't understand. It is now week 12, and I took the IGG HSV1/2 Type Specific test again (done through Labcorp) and HSV1 and HSV2 are both negative. What the heck am I supposed to believe? Am I negative or positive for HSV2?

I am still feeling some irritation between my penis and scrotum, but I have never had an outbreak of any kind. I have several questions that I need help understanding:

1) Is 12 weeks after contact a reasonable amount of time to feel pretty good that I do not have HSV2?
2) Are my previous HSV2 positive test results so low that they could be false positives?
3) If one were really positive for HSV2, wouldn't the level of antibodies increase in the body, making the HSV2 test result numbers significantly higher after 12 weeks?
4) At 4 weeks, I tested negative for gonorrhea, syphillas, clamydia, and HIV was negative after 12 weeks. Are there other STDs that could cause this irritation if it is not from HSV2? What about HPV? I have not been tested for this.

Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

You can have reactions to soaps and such at anytime. especially during these tough economic times - they frequently change suppliers for ingredients and change their ingredients.

Continue to follow up on your symptoms with the dermatologist at this point.

grace

[wineman62]

Grace,

Thanks for the WB info.

My service providers have not said/done much regarding my irritation. The dermatologist thinks it is a reaction to soaps or detergents, yet I have used the same soaps for several years w/o issues. The irritation tends to get worse as the day goes along and skin is rubbing together during the day - at least that's what has happened lately.

Are there bacterial/yeast type of infections that can cause this type of irritation?

[gracefromHHP]

I already gave you the WB info.  You are getting tested thru quest labs - your provider can order a herpes WB from them.  34534 is the test number your provider needs to order.  You need to wait to at least 16 weeks post encounter though - the WB needs a longer time to be effective.

the herpes blood test lapcorp uses can't be used before 16 weeks post encounter either.


irritation all the time is not due to herpes. what has your provider been saying about it when you show it to them?

grace

[wineman62]

Grace,

So, I have the results from the Quest HSV1/2 test of last week. The Quest HSV1 was negative and HSV2 was positive at 1.42 - recall I tested positive for HSV2 at Quest (1.70) about 3.5 weeks after contact. I have never tested positive for HSV1 at any time, anywhere. Let me chronicle my HSV2 testing one more time to put it in perspective. Can one of the doctors on the site comment on this?

1) Tested for HSV2 at Planned Parenthood 3.5 weeks after "protected" contact. I'm not sure what HSV2 test Planned Parenthood ran, but HSV2 was positive at about 1.36

2) Tested for HSV2 thru Advanced Testing Center at the same 3.5 week window. The testing was done at LabCorp. This test was the "HerpeSelect - Type Specific" IGG test for HSV1/2. HSV2 was Negative (less than 0.90)

3) Tested a few days later (week 3.5) through Quest (which I forgot to cite in my first post) thru Advanced Testing Center with the same "HerpeSelect - Type Specific" IGG test for HSV1/2. Tested positive at 1.70.

4) Tested at about week 4 thru my doctor and tested HSV2 positive at 1.34. I'm not sure the exact test my doctor ran (and he would not give me the time of day to explain it), but he said it was an IGG test for HSV1/2.

Ok, now let's fast forward all of this to week 12 and you can hopefully get an appreciation for my anxiety.

1) For almost 2 months now, I have been experiencing pretty frequent (almost constant) irritation on the top part of my left scrotum. I can not touch this area or the underside of my penis without it becoming inflamed almost right away - not normal for me. The irritation also runs up and down the under side of my penis. My penis almost always seems to be stuck to my scrotum on the side that is irritated. I have not seen any blisters of any kind. In fact, I can't even recall feeling any itching of any kind - just pretty regular irritation. Can herpes cause this type of irritation on a fairly regular basis?

2) I Re-Tested for HSV1/2 thru Advanced Testing Center at Labcorp at week 12 after contact. HSV1 and HSV2 were both negative.

3) I Re-tested for HSV 1/2 thru Advanced Testing Center at Quest this time - about 12.5 weeks after contact. HSV1 is negative. HSV2 is positive, but is now only 1.42, when it was measured at 1.70 about 3.5 weeks after contact. If I really had HSV2, I would think the amount of antibodies in my system would increase, not decrease - correct?

What the heck am I supposed to believe? Who is right, LabCorp or Quest? Are they both reliable labs? This is ridiculous. I can't explain the irritation. I went and saw a dermatologist and she did not see anything that looked like herpes and could not explain the irritation. She told me to use Neosporen, which did not help at all.

Do you think this is herpes? What other infections can cause this type of almost constant irritation? Are my positive numbers so low that this could be my natural body? Any chance that chicken pox or mono could be causing some type of cross pollination with the HSV2 test?

Can herpes infections cause more bacterial infections to surface?

I've pretty much mentally accepted the fact that I have HSV2, but there is so much ambiguity.

Would you mind posting some info on where/how I can get the HSV2 Western Blot test done if I choose to do it?

Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

All quest labs can draw the herpes WB and send it to U of washington for you.  You can also  order up the kit yourself, have your doctor draw the blood and send it for you too. With the restrictions on mail they have currently, I don't recommend sending it yourself as I believe the HHP link you gave gives directions how to do.  Plenty of people to do it for you easier.

grace

[wineman62]

Grace,

How can one get tested with the "Gold Standard" of HSV tests - the Western Blot? From what I have read so far, most (if not all) doctors will not perform the test, and if one is able to get the test, it seems like a ridiculous process to go through to get the blood drawn and shipped to the University of Washington. Is it worth the trouble? Here is some info I found:

http://www.racoon.com/herpes/WB_test.htm

Thanks