Please help me make sense of some very confusing information.
I am a late 30's male who was tested for all STD's in Apr of 2010. The results cam back negative on all accounts.
Recently I was in a relationship with a woman that began to get intimate and decided to get tested again (in early Aug of 2011). The tests cam back negative on all accounts with the lone exception of an indeterminate result on my herpes test (IgG antibody test with a result of .94)
I asked the doctor what that meant and he said that it mean that I wasn't positive but that he couldn't tell me that I was negative. An EXCEEDINGLY frustrating answer. He recommended testing again in two weeks. I did, and the results came back Indeterminate again (IgG .96). He stated that he had never seen two indeterminate results in a row with virtually identical numbers so he recommended testing again in two more weeks. I did, and the results came back Indeterminate again with a value of .97.
My frustration was almost to the boiling point when an MD friend of mine recommended a referral to an infectious
disease department to see if they would see me and they responded that three indeterminate results over a 4 week period was indicative of a negative result. They recommended testing again in 6 weeks to confirm. I waited 6 weeks and tested again. The results came back indeterminate again (IgG .96).
I have no symptoms (never did) but I do have some concerns and questions with this diagnosis. I contacted another local doctor to get a conformational 2nd opinion and his clinic stated that there was no way to say for certain but that I should wait a few months and get tested again...and treat myself like I was positive and take all the necessary precautions. A suggestion far more alarming than the "4 indeterminate tests over 10 weeks equals negative" answer my doctor gave me.
So here are my questions
1st Does having any antibodies in my blood mean that I am carrying a small amount of the virus around? or does it mean that I was exposed to the virus and my immune system "beat it back" and that explains the elevated level of antibodies (not a positive level but a consistently indeterminate one)?
2nd What is my transmission risk? If I am carrying around a small amount of the virus (This is a worst case assumption based upon my previous question) then can I transmit it to my partner even if the results are consistently and habitually below the positive mark of 1.1 on the IgG test. I understand that even if I use a condom
I can still pass it through asymptomatic shedding (though the risk is small it still exists even with out symptoms)
3rd With no symptoms...and therefore no lesion to swab...is there another test that I can request to perhaps bring a little more clarity to this frustrating situation? My second opinion call to the 2nd local doctor recommended waiting another few months before testing again. If there is another test to take I would like to proceed with that option as soon as possible.
4th Is there a possible alternative explanation to having these results arise other than exposure to HSV2? I have no cold sores and can't remember if I did as a child but I most certainly haven't had any since my previous negative test in APR of 10. What about any other possible contaminates or conditions that could cause this consistent result?
5th If my original doctor's diagnosis was correct and 4 indeterminate results over 10 weeks with almost identical numbers equates to a negative result...and that I correspondingly do not have the HSV2....then is there a hope that these antibody numbers will ever go down? As I understand IgG testing results these numbers (.94, .96, .97 and .96) are extremely low.
6th If my original doctor's diagnosis was correct and I do not have HSV2 but I now have a consistently indeterminate result, should I inform my previous partners that while I am not positive I was exposed to HSV2 at some point between Apr of 10 and Aug of 11 and that they should probably be tested?
Please help me make a little sense out of all this. I want to do the right thing and take care of my self as well as handle any public health concerns for those people that I care about. A little clarification from the experts would help me in that process extremely!
Thank You for any advice and insight that you can provide
you never get a zero on the herpes igg blood tests because of the way they do the testing. all your results are clear negatives. no need for any further testing for herpes.
has your new partner been tested to know their status?