Understanding my results.

[Indifferent_Blahb]

I just received results from my doc this morning and I am confused.  My boyfriend was diagnosed (HSV-2) a couple of weeks ago, which led me to be tested in the first place.  After receiving my "positive" results from the doc, she also explained (or tried to anyway) about the IgM and IgG titers, leaving me completely confused.  (Technically, I guess it doesn't matter where it came from but my boyfriend and I are trying to isolate where this could have come from - neither of us have been with many partners.)  My HSV-1 was <0.91 and my HSV-2 was 1.52 (with 1.09 being positive).  She tried to help me understand something about IgM/IgG showing recent or previous exposure and said that my exposure was previous and something about 6 months or more ago.  This doesn't help me much because my boyfriend and I have been together for 7 months but could someone explain this to me?  Neither of us have ever had an outbreak of any kind and this is all news to us.  But if I got this from a previous partner (one of which has already told me he is free and clear), how do I know??  Should I just let this go?  It's not totally taking over but to a degree I'm very curious to know where the heck I got this?

[auntiejessi]

HI there -

It sounds like you need to get your test results so we can figure this all out.  Your bf should also get his.

I'm confused as well.

Aj

[Indifferent_Blahb]

What do you mean about getting my test results?  The HSV-1 was 1.09.  Is there more that I'm missing?  Thank you for responding - I'm dying to know what the heck is going on.  Does it even matter that I find out "where" it came from?  I think my bf is on the verge of "blaming" me and it feels really crappy since neither of us even knew anything.  Chalk it up to complete ignorance on both our parts but... I don't know.  I just feel bad... guilty.

[Indifferent_Blahb]

I messed up the above post:  the results were HSV-1 1.09 and mine is obviously a few points above that... what does all this mean?  And what the heck about the IgM and IgG titers?  Was I infected years ago?  Months ago?  And how many??  HELP!!! :O (and thank you sooo much!)

[Indifferent_Blahb]

What the heck is going on?  It keeps deleting my results btwn the HSV-1 and the 1.09???? Maybe I can't use symbols??  My results for HSV II are 1.52....  let me see if this works...????

[auntiejessi]

I'm seeing it all.

What I meant was I was confused about which was positive - the IgG or the IgM.  Disregard any IgM results.  That's supposed to look for recent infection, but isn't near reliable enough to use to diagnose anyone.  

The IgG looks for established infections, but that can be positive in as little as 3 weeks.

Is your hsv1 less than .91 or 1.09?  You've given 2 different numbers for that.

1.09 isn't technically positive.  Its equivocal.  That means they can't say you have it or you don't have it.  Positive is 1.10 technically.

Your hsv2 is 1.59.  That's a VERY low positive, and its recommended that if you get below a 3.5 that you retest.  Some experts feel the cut offs for hsv2 are too low, and that anything under a 3.5 or so be considered a negative.  If you haven't had any genital symptoms, especially, I'd retest.

I'd recommend a retest.  

And I still don't know how your bf was diagnosed.  That's why I suggested getting copies of your test results, so we can help you figure out who had what test, etc.

Aj

[Indifferent_Blahb]

thank you so much for your response!!!!!  my hsv2 number is actually 1.52 - and i havent had any symptoms that im AWARE of however, oddly enough, i had strep throat, started taking antibiotics for a week, then got a yeast infection for the first time ever, and THEN my bf told me he was "diagnosed" with hsv2.  so then of course i started freaking out thinking the yeast infection may actually be an ob.  i have no clue what his numbers are or anything but will find out today hopefully so we can get this cleared up.  so if 1.52 is possibly false, why do the doctors call and tell us we have it for sure?  my doc in fact gave me the whole "youve been exposed" speech and told me that either the IgM or the IgG showed that i had had a previous infection and that it was definitely not recent (whatever the heck that means).  what IS "recent" anyway??  anyway, i will get access to my labs and find out his numbers too and repost this evening.  again, aj, thank you SO much for responding.  im so confused and not sure what to do with all this information.  im already stressing about ob's though.  :(

[gracefromHHP]

How was your bf tested for herpes? Did he have active genital lesions that he got cultured
?  did he have just a blood test? did he have both?

If you both tested + for hsv2 on the blood test then there's no way to even begin figuring out who had it first.  You even might've both come into the relationship with it and never realized it.  If he seems to be playing the blame game with you - put a stop to it. I'm assuming you never asked him to get tested or vice versa.  If neither of you knew you had it - there's no way to place blame about it! totally a waste of time and energy. What's important is knowing who has what now so you can decide together what precautions to take together, if any, from here on out.  

grace

[Indifferent_Blahb]

grace,
thank you for your reply! :)  the weird thing is that i have a friend who has had it for years and so we had been talking about it, i started researching it, and therefore asked him to be tested (he had no signs of an ob and neither did i.  i had just read that men are carriers of it and dont even know they have it sometimes or something) and i was tested as well just to make sure and we were not expecting to have positive results whatsoever.  but then we both did... i dont know that hes blaming me but i think the both of us are secretly trying to understand where this started, even though in reality it doesnt matter whatsoever because whats already done is done and its not the end of the world by any means.  i just think we are trying to make sense out of something that doesnt really make a whole lot of sense necessarily.  maybe our relationship was too shaky to begin with and this is just exacerbating the whole deal.  annnnyway, i got my "official" results written down and here they are (per auntiejessi's request):

Herpes 1 IgG          LT 0.91 (less than)
Herpes 2 IgG TS     1.52
HSV I/II IgM AB      LT 0.91

that's all the information i have... would there be more than that?  i know aj said to disregard the IgM information but what specifically does all this mean about the exposure/infection or whatever?  my doc said something about me having a previous infection, possibly 6 months ago or longer.  should i just not even worry about this and move on?  i think the only reason im asking is so i can assure my now ex-boyfriend that i didnt infect him, even though i very well may have.  God only knows.  uggggh.  stupid herpes.

[gracefromHHP]

Once you can post your bf's hsv2 results then we can better see if you need additional testing in another month to see if this is a newly acquired hsv2 infection for you from him or if you both need further confirmatory testing due to the possible false positive issue.

grace

[Indifferent_Blahb]

awesome... i am still waiting to hear from him.  ive been pestering him but i think that makes it worse so im trying to back off.  but im dying to know his numbers too!  

[auntiejessi]

Doctors love to say that an IgG means an infection longer than 6 months.  I don't know why, because you can get those antibodies in as little as 3 weeks (I did.)  The huge majority of people will test positive on an IgG by 6 weeks.

Clearly, there's a huge difference in 3 or 6 weeks and 6 months, huh?  

But if you both are positive, there isn't going to be any way to show who had it first.

Aj

[Indifferent_Blahb]

that makes me feel so much better - thank you!  it shouldnt matter but i guess... i feel bad enough already and i shouldnt put undue pressure on the situation by trying to figure out who gave it to who, especially when the results are so "iffy" anyway, right??  why do they love to say longer than 6 months if that isnt the truth though?  my doc seems like a great doc and i really like her; i assume she knows her stuff??  but ive heard/seen that a lot on this forum that docs arent necessarily perpetuating the truth about these things - why is that?? (thanks again for responding... its helping me calm down!)

[Indifferent_Blahb]

(one more thing:  what if the bf's positive IgG results say 4.8 or something?  Does that mean he's had it longer than my 1.52 (haahaha) or does that mean nothing at all?  Just thinking about that - he still hasn't heard from the doc yet...)

[gracefromHHP]

Well if his is 4.8 then I"d repeat yours in another month and see what they say.  It could be that only he's infected and you aren't or that you were recently infected and they will be a little higher in a months time.

grace

[gracefromHHP]

oh and if his are like 1. 45 or something then you'll both need additional confirmatory testing with such low positives.

grace

[Indifferent_Blahb]

what does further testing involve? (im sorry im so ignorant about this... i feel like a dufus but really REALLY appreciate your responses.)  will the doctor even DO further testing?  are there specialty clinics to go to or something that will understand what we need?

[gracefromHHP]

There are other blood tests you can get to confirm low positives.  We'll cross that bridge when we come to it :)

www.herpesdiagnosis.com has terrific info on herpes blood testing under the how can I get tested section if you want more reading.

grace

[Indifferent_Blahb]

ok, still no word from the ex-boyfriend on his results - it seems like he just doesnt care at all, which is maybe the attitude i should be taking on??  im just curious if i should even care what the heck his numbers are at this point... does it even matter or should i just concern myself with, well, mySELF?  should i just stop right now and concentrate on testing again in a month or whatever?  uggggh.  i feel like an ignorant dumbax.

[Indifferent_Blahb]

ok so he got his numbers: IgG-1 0.29 and IgG-2 4.55
mine are IgG-1 LT 0.91 and IgG-2 1.52

what does this mean exactly?  does it even matter??  hellllllp!  (and thank you so much - i really really really appreciate your responses and your wisdom on this issue!)

[gracefromHHP]

Your bf has hsv2. His results are high enough that there's no need to confirm them.

I'd repeat your own hsv2 igg in another month to see if yours was a false positive or just a newly acquired infection.  

I know they aren't quick and easy answers but it's probably the best you can do at this point.  

grace

[Indifferent_Blahb]

THank you so much.  You are amazing.  Really.....  I really appreciate your knowledge.