interpreting results of HSV test

[bellebelle03]

I was recently diagnosed with an HSV IgG antibody test. I was 1.93, then I retested a week later and was 2.07. My IgM was negative, which from what I understand means its not a current infection. Does anyone know what these results mean in terms of time and how high of an infection I have....

[Emma_08]

IgM results are worthless - don't rely on them for infection status.  Your HSV IgG results are technically positive, but on the low side.  Are you HSV-1 positive?  Sometimes high HSV-1 values will cause a low false positive HSV-2 result (usually between 1-3).  To clear this up, you could always retest with a different test, such as Biokit or Western Blot, which is the "gold standard" of herpes testing.  Also, have you had any herpes symptoms?  Test results should always be taken in context.  If you have not had any symptoms, I would get retested with Biokit or Western Blot to confirm your status.
Good luck,
Em

[bellebelle03]

thanks for the response. I thought they didnt recommend Western Blots. I thought a serum test was next to the best test which is actually taking a culture from a herpes sore. Anyways I guess I can request a Western Blot. In any case, should I retest with an IgG test in the future? if so how soon?
thanks again

[Emma_08]

Western Blots are usually not recommended, unless you have "unclear" results, for lack of a better word.  They really are the gold standard and will most likely help sort out this confusion.  You had fairly low positive results both times - you might or might not have herpes (I also don't know your history - have you had any herpes symptoms?).  You could always retest again with HerpeSelect (I'm assuming this is the test you had), but you might get another low positive result, which won't help.  HerpeSelect tests can take up to four months to become positive.  I would also talk to an STD-knowlegeable provider and she what he/she recommends.
Best,
Em

[gracefromHHP]

It's helpful when you keep all your questions in the same thread for us :)

So when you were first tested for herpes - how long before that had you last had sex?  Have you been with anyone other than the man in question in your first post? If so have any of them been tested for herpes at all yet?

grace

[bellebelle03]

Hi grace,
I was first tested last year, it was negative. I then was tested 5/22 then 5/30, which are the results above.  The last time I had sex was probably in January, and I haven't been with anyone else in over 2 years. He says he got tested in january and was negative, and that his partner was just recently tested for an abortion she just had, and she was verbally told by the doctor she was fine. I find this kind of funny because the majority of abortion clinics don't have the capabilities for STD testing, believe me I've called. Or they don't test with an abortion. I don't know, its very frustrating, because I feel like if it was a past relationship, why was I negative last year. The last time I was with the other person, it was almost 10 months prior to my testing last year...

[gracefromHHP]

These are most likely false positives.  If you hadn't had sex since january then you would've seroconverted by now and not keep having rising igg.  If you really are concerned - get a WB herpes blood test.

grace

[bellebelle03]

hello grace, just wanted to update you. My doctor told me there wasn't a Western Blot for Herpes???? I was really taken back. She suggested I do a PCR if I needed further confirmation. She wasn't suggesting false positives at all... She basically said I was positive. I'm also confused about if I was negative last year, why do people tell me that I could have had it for a while. I thought when you tested negative you didnt have antibodies, therefore no HSV. Once you have it you always show antibodies, so why was I negative last year if there was a posibility of having acquired it years ago???
thanks...

[Kat40]

I hope you don't mind me jumping into this conversation because I'm going through exactly what bellebelle is going through and it's so frustrating. I tested negative last year (IGG), then just got a 1.27 result for HSV2 (and I do have HSV1), have been with the same guy over a year, and have never had any symptoms.  So like bellebelle, how could I be negative last year and positive this year?

I just retook the same Select Type test and am awaiting results, but I proactively asked my doc about doing the Western Blot if it HSV2 comes back low again, and she said that's only for HIV and if I come back in the same range, I'm positive, period, totally discounting the possibility of a false positive. I feel like these doctors know less than we do just from reading.

I'm definitely going around my doc to get the WB if I come back again in the low ranges.

[gracefromHHP]

Your doctor is wrong. There is a WB for herpes.  http://depts.washington.edu/rspvirus/herpes.htm  is the info your doctor needs done.


A pcr blood test won't help you. herpes is not a blood borne virus so it's unlikely to be detected in the blood by pcr.  You can get a pcr lesion culture but of course you'd have to have an actual lesion present to culture.

grace

[bellebelle03]

thanks grace

[bellebelle03]

hello, I'm so glad there is someone I can relate to. Its very hard to go through this and not have complete support from your doctor. I have a million questions racing through my head every second of the day. Right now I'm not with the guy I've been with and its hard being away from him too. He's waiting to get tested, and my biggest fear is that he's negative and I'm left behind. I know its stupid but after a 9 year relationship it would just crush me.  
Anyways, good luck with you, keep me updated...

[sara725]

Dear All,

Please don't worry. Positive or negative, your life won't change.
My story, I am 37, have a little one who is under 5 years old and have very little sexual history or risk in the past 10 years. Now, I have a serious boyfriend and I got an iud. After the iud was inserted, I had burning, discharge, back pain and a low-grade fever for weeks. The Dr. tested me for everything possible, even kidney stones(by CT scan). Well, they never came up with anything except a Herpeselect result of HSV-1 of 4.18 and HSV-2 of 2.58. I tried to tell the Dr. and the nurse that I don't have genital herpes, but they smiled at me, told me it could have been the very first time that I had sex and gave me scrip for Valtrex and said ba-bye. I had another test a week later, as they sighed at me as if I was hopeless, and wrote me the testing Rx. The second test, I never actually saw the results, the nurse read them to me over the phone with different #s each time, the HSV-1 was 3.something and the HSV-2 was 3.4 something.

I sent a Western Blot out against their advisement and the results were HSV-1, positive, I knew I had cold sores since middle school, (I believe from sharing woodwind instruments, one time at band camp...) And the WB HSV-2 was negative. I really, truly enjoyed the "I told you so." moment at the Dr.'s office after I had the U. Washington results faxed to him. He seemed concerned that I would sue, hm.

We live in a data-driven society. Just as when we are surfing the internet, we have to be cautious as to which data we use and how we use it in our lives. The Herpeselect is just a test. A number given to you by a doctor from a blood test will not change your life. My boyfriend said that Herpes didn't change anything between us, if I had HSV-2, I was still his same little girlfriend, and he made a point of it by taking me to bed right away. We have used and still always use condoms because, by the way, there is a HUGE HIV epidemic going on out there.

Please don't let a test result amp your anxiety up and let you lose sleep. My numbers were a little high, and I don't have the type-2 virus in my body, dumb luck. I wonder if Focus Technologies has tweeked the Herpeselect to be more sensitive lately and therefore, more low-postive results are coming up? This test is less than 10 years on the market and has not been perfected. It's a boon to medicine that people can confirm that they have HSV by a blood test, but this test is a double-edged sword that is ruining relationships and upsetting a lot people, don't worry yet.

Take care of yourself.
Sara.

[bellebelle03]

thankyou very much, your message helps a whole lot... I am going to request the WB and show them that it really does exist.  How did you go by requesting the test? Since it has to be a doctor to order the blood test. Did your insurance cover it? Anyways Sara, best of luck to you too...

[sara725]

call the U of Washington at the community services office...
206-598-6066 or 800-713-5198.
they can send you a kit.
i am in ny state and there is a law here that nys residents can't send samples to a non-FDA approved lab, so samples require a letter from a physician.
was not covered by insurance, was $156.25 + the $75 overnight fedex fee + dr's office visit ... peace of mind, priceless ...

[critter1]

i am so stressed out over my recent positive of herpes 1.  i've never displayed any symptoms growing up.  2 years ago i started having female problems.  i've had a full hysterectomy 4 years ago.  i do take hormone shots every month.  I blamed them for the painful lesion appearing on my inner vulva area 2 years ago until now.  i do have other symptoms; vagina discharge, pain during intercourse, burning after; and almost always develop a bad bladder infection after sex with my husband of 23 years.  they only person i've every been with.  we have been having martial problems in last 2 years.  this recent diagnoses is confirming my feeling already that he was continuously giving me something.  we use no protection.  no need to. after all he is the only one and he says is never cheated on me.  the worst part of this is how sick i always feel.  tired all the time and other doctors diagnoses have been rheumotoid and fibro.  they did not test for any std.  my gyno did also find another bacterial infection in vagina.  treated me for that again.  she knows the infections is coming from husband.  suggested using condoms.  
going today to have a full workup for stds.

[critter1]

please respond to criter1

[Kat40]

Sara, thanks so much for your information about getting the Western Blot. I got my second IGG results back at 1.16, so even lower than the first, so I'm 100% convinced these are false positives, so I did ask my doc for a lab slip for Western Blot.

But yes, it's impossible to find a lab who will send out the samples, so I'm resigned to the fact I have to do it myself, which is just odd. It really is the principle of the thing where I want to do like you did and say "I told you so" to the doc that just "smiled at me" and said "there there." That's so frustrating!

I'll update this when I make it through that process to "confirm" for you guys what I'm sure of, that I'm negative as well, and false positives with the IGG are worth testing further.

[gracefromHHP]

I believe any clinic that uses quest labs can easily have a WB sent to the U of washington.

grace

[Kat40]

I know it's been a while since I posted, but I wanted to close the loop and share with those searching for information that I DID go ahead and do the Western Blot and, just as I expected, it came back negative for HSV-2.

My doctor left me a voicemail with the news so I couldn't say I Told You So, but hopefully she's learned a lesson and will think twice before telling someone they for sure have Genital Herpes.

I ended up going to Quest labs, who do send out for the test, although I paid out of pocket since my insurance didn't cover it. But it was worth it.

Actually, the lab wrote down the wrong test at first--I asked just to make sure they had the right test, and they were going to do the same one I'd done twice before, so be SURE they are ordering the correct Western Blot.

So, in a nutshell, if you have inconclusive HSV-2 results (I'd say anything under 3) and have had NO symptoms EVER of genital herpes, ignore your doctor who pooh pooh's your insistence that you've never had a symptom and run straight for the Western Blot! Good Luck!