low positives - confirmatory results

If you were tested with a type specific herpes igg blood test and had a low positive result for hsv2 ( anything under 4.0 ) and sought out confirmatory testing, what were your eventual results?

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14%

 (3) 

I did not seek out testing

42%

 (9) 

I got another test and was negative for hsv2

14%

 (3) 

I sought out testing and was positive for hsv2

28%

 (6) 

I'm still waiting to test more

21 Members voted

[gracefromHHP]

Thanks for your participation in this poll :)  Hoping to be able to refer future posters to this so that they understand that it is well worth further testing!

grace

[MBwantstoknow]

The first test taken was a blood test it was positive and the dr said sometimes those tests say positive since in most people the herpes virus is present ((cold sores etc)) so he did a viral swab and the results were negative

[gracefromHHP]

if that's all the testing you've had done, you need to get a confirmatory blood test done. I encourage you to start a post of your own if you haven't already and we'll go into all of this in more details together. If you can get the results of your blood test to post there, even better!

grace

[gracefromHHP]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Confusing-Igg-Test-Results/show/771141  is a terrific prior post by HHH that explains better why confirming low positive results is important for more reading.

grace

[antstew0369]

Wow, thanks so much for posting this! I was positive HSV-1 by 5.00 and positive by HSV-2 by 3.9 I had the IGG type specific tests done! I was at quite a loss considering I hadn't had any symptoms other than orally. I sought out the Western Blot and it confirmed my HSV-1 but I was HSV-2 negative! I really suggest everyone gets the Western Blot it could make a difference how you spend the rest of your life!

[sosad310]

Hi!  My HSV-1 was 1.12........and my HSV-2 was a 5.  But this is after 7 plus mos exposure.  I had two prior HSV 1 & 2 IgG tests (at two months...obviously too early to detect antibodies) and then one at 5 months!  At 5 mos I remained negative for both , which I found very very confusiing being I had positive genital HSV-1 swab two months post exposure (reason for blood tests to see if new old infection).  I know a 5 isn't considered low on scale ...I believe they were saying less than 3.5.....but I'm really upset being I've been having sex w/ boyfriend w/ HSV-1 oral (same strain I thought I acquired) w/o condoms. He has shown no signs of infection...but we haven't redone his blood since mine turned positive.  He's not super upset.  But I am because now I'm panicking and constantly feeling prodromal symptoms.  Should I get western blot??  Did I acquire both strains down below and did they perhaps only culture the hsv 1 lesion?  I'm at a loss....I mean I know that is rare..but it can happen.  And I thought a positive swab was usually 100% accurate.  And is there something wrong w/ my immune system if it took 7 mos to show up.......or did valtrex, which I've been taking since culture swab obtained, somehow hide my antibodies or slow down antibody formation??

[foofan]

i think valtrex does scew the result im not positive but i believe ive read that before.

[justjazzy]

i want to test again so badly.

[Verysaddude]

Good post!

[Verysaddude]

Hello Grace, can you keep this poll at the top for a while longer so we can get more results on this? This is a great poll, especially for those who have questions about getting a second test...

[gracefromHHP]

They took it off "sticky".  we can just periodically keep bumping it up to the top though.



grace

[crossing_the_bridge]

missed this poll the first time around, and now i don't see a way to vote.
also, my results were outside the "false positive" range - but, i just didn't believe them.

summary:
mar '08:
captia - 5.84
herpeselect - "positive"  (probably a low positive, but no way to tell)

mar '09:
captia - negative
herpeselect - 1.14
biokit - negative

[gracefromHHP]

http://biosearch.berkeley.edu/image.php?img=images%2Fopensearch%2Fartid%3D1276011%26blobname%3D1471-2334-5-84-1.jpg&pmid=16225691&fig=1



this graph is also a good resource to show you just how likely a false positive is by range.

I always encourage anyone with a hsv2 igg under 5 who's never had any obvious symptoms that they are aware of to confirm their status with additional testing to err on the side of caution.

grace

[Verysaddude]

That link appears to be broke Grace..and what do you consider "obvious symptoms"

[gracefromHHP]

try the link again.  just worked for me again. http://tiny.cc/1noax  see if that tiny link is easier to cut and paste.

obvious symptoms would be blisters/rash that a provider thought might be due to herpes. Always better to err on the side of caution and confirm with a 2nd test.  

grace

[SoAfraidNow]

This gives me so much hope of false positive with hsv2 3.58 herepeselect igg and no noticeable symptoms and 4 plus months since possible exposure!  I'm awaiting my WB kit!  That poll was amazing. I'd love to be able to know the results of the balance of 28% 6ppl waiting to test more.  From the pattern seems as though two thirds of them may be negative.

Grace thank you for this post and your continued help.  You deliver peace of mind and that's priceless!!

Be well

[grateful84]

I tested HSV-2 Positive (1.4) and HSV-1 Negative. A couple of weeks later I had a BioKit test done and it was NEGATIVE!  

If anyone's interested, here's the link to my whole story: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Thank-you-Low-Positive-HSV-2-Confirmed-False/show/1350885#post_6169667

Keep hope alive!

[msmith1979]

4 Weeks: IgG: 2.05
12 Weeks: IgG: 2.23
16 Weeks: WB indeterminate - low level of HSV2 antibody detected
28 Weeks (6 and a half months) WB negative - no evidence of HSV1 or HSV2 antibody detected

[gracefromHHP]

congrats on finally getting the answers you needed!!!  

thanks for posting to this post for others to see :)

grace

[mgltexas]

Received confirmation of a negative result after an initial false positive of 1.6 for hsv 2

Negative by biokit and WB

Full info here

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1360895?page=2

[Jmonkey7890]

I see you found the pole you were talking about lol... This helps alot!

[gracefromHHP]

no this wasn't the poll I was previously referring too.

started a new igm and follow up test poll for the forum that I can easily find.

grace

[yeppers1984]

Hi there I saw this and thought I would post my false positive.  It has been quite a while now but my original tests where negative for HSV-1 and 1.25 for HSV-2.  I was convinced by my doctors that the tests were 100% correct and they would not allow the test to be done over.  After that I became very paranoid every sting pain anything going on in my body I related it to symptoms.  But after a while I never saw anything downstairs.  It has been a handful of years after the initial test and I started doing more research on it after having a freind's bf who had a similar experience.  That is where I found this site and was amazed at how common they are below a certain level and decided to get tested again elsewhere and both IGG HSV-1 and HSV-2 where both negative.  It was extremely disheartening knowing how long I lived for going through therapy for anxiety, rejection from some girls and all the other mental things that go along with it for nothing.  But I was also extremely happy and beside myself at the same time  

[preza]

I have not checked out the site for some time, but wanted to add my experience to this thread.  I tested positive by HerpeSelect at 1.5 for type 2.  Negative for HSV 1.  This was 6 weeks after my last exposure.  I had tested negative for both during the relationship, and that test was done at my yearly checkup, which was about a month before my last exposure.  I waited until the 16 week mark after last exposure and drove 4 hrs to get a Biokit test done, which was negative.  I had to ask the lady twice to make sure I heard the results correctly.

I have never had a bump, sore, etc. since my last exposure, so I feel very secure that 1.5 was a false positive after waiting those weeks and getting the Biokit test.  Had it not been for this site I would never have gotten the followup Biokit test.  A lot of doctors roll their eyes when you mention that you have been reading info on the web, but the fact is that you have to watch your own back.  I was told my 1.5 was a sure thing by two doctors.  

Has any major news source--tv or magazine--ever done a story on this?  People need to be educated on the need for retesting in case it is another of these false positive results some of us share.  Surely some health magazine has run a story at some point???

[flow1987]

As many of you are probably aware (the very active participants of this forum, anyways) I had a low positive of 1.72 for HSV-2 in May of this year. I had confirmatory testing done in September, and the test came back negative.

My whole experience is covered here:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/229654/My-Genital-Herpes-Experience

So far I have had to call the facilities responsible for ordering the tests and the facility that did the testing themselves, as they assured me my tests were accurate and I had HSV-2. I alerted them that I had notified partners and they probably came to their facility as well for the same testing, and their results could have been false positives as well, and they could have lived under a false assumption for nearly 4 months like myself. A lady I spoke to at Intermountain Healthcare says there is a possibility that they will be training their employees about the accuracy of these "screening" tests to better alert the people they care for which test it suitable and which is not.

The test the facility ordered was the one test that I heard was supposed to be resubmitted to the FDA with a higher optical density index, but this wasn't done because the company who made the test didn't want to spend anymore money on it.

I personally don't recommend these herpes blood tests unless they are Immunoblot or Western Blot tests, or unless you are actually having herpes blisters, especially if you live in a rural area with under-educated doctors with limited medical expertise. I don't have an infectious disease specialist within 50 miles of me. The health in general in where I live is not really a typically ideal one.

[gracefromHHP]

the immunoblot has the exact same issues as the other herpeselect tests do.  it's not any better as far as the false positive issues.

there is currently a study going on with the herpeselect ( again ) to see if it's worthwhile raising the cut off rates or not.  they already tweaked it once a few years ago which helped a lot with the false positive issues but looks like they are looking to tweak again. gotta give them credit that they are more open about the issues than the other herpes tests are that have recently gotten fda approval!

also please keep in mind that folks who have no reason to doubt their test results, do not come to the boards for help. we see an unbalanced representation of false positive issues here so it does make it seem like the tests aren't very good when indeed they are.

[oil220]

I tested positive 3 times with HerpesSelect for HSV2, was negative for HSV1 on all 3 tests and had never gotten an outbreak. I was freaking out and thought every little tingle and twitch on my body was Herpes related -i had even accepted that I had HSV2 (my Doctor played part in that).
My results were the following in that order:
IGG 1.37
IGG 1.22
IGG 1.94

Thanks to Grace and people in this board, I was advised to get a Western Blot test, and yes it is expensive but totally worth it because I am in fact NEGATIVE for both HSV2 and HSV1.
HerpesSelect should really do something about their positive scale - it really seems as I will probably keep testing in the low positive range with this test.

GOOD LUCK TO YALL- THERE IS HOPE - GET THE WESTERN BLOT

[simplyconcerned]

Shorter Version of my experience ( click link below for the longer version)

Febraury - igg 3.78 hsv1 and neg for hsv2

September: Igg  3.5 for hsv1 and 1.73 for hsv2.
Biokit test : faint pink dot which the nurse didn't know if this was a positive or negative.

December: exactly 14 weeks after my September test and Months after sexual intercourse my IGG results were 3.7hsv1 and 1.2 hsv2. The infectious and disease specialist then ran a Western Blot and it came back NEGATIVE.  

The only reason I tested for this was because since I was a teenager I assumed you test every six months for HIV and STDS. I always use condoms and new I never had any sores or lesions ( which made me wonder were my IGG results accurate) .  I suggest anyone that feels deep down inside there test may be a false positive ,take a WB.

I want to thank grace, the forum and everyone again for the support and also pushing me to not accept my Igg and get a WB


http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/herpes-test-IGG-and-bio-kit-taken/show/1367432#post_6489617

[dumbone]

I absolutely love what grace does here
I had 2 very low positive herpeselct tests, 1.26 and 1.82
2 negative biokits and a final negative WB!!!  

If i had not stumbled onto this site, i would never have known i needed confirmatory testing!!!

Thanks grace

[rsem]

Was tested on 1/27/11 had herpselect was hsv 1 neg and hsv 2 pos with a reading of 1.14.  Never had any symptoms and my Dr told me I was def positive.  Today I found out I was negative for hsv 1 and 2.  Huge thank you to Grace for all her help.  Thank God for this forum because my ob/ gyn and one of her colleagues told me I was def positive and was ready to start me on meds.  Thank you Grace soooo much for all you do.

[rsem]

Sorry forgot to mention negative by Western Blot.  Thank you again :)

[rsem]

Negative by Biokit today for hsv 2 as well!

[worriedgirl05]

My results for hsv 1 IgG- 1.92
                        HSV2 IgG-2.41
Is my results false positive ?or do i need to do a WB ? Or is my results positive for HSV1 AND HSV2

[infoseeker222]

I wanted to contribute my story as well to the poll:

I decided to test for STDs because I had just started a new relationship.  I had had two prior partners, both of whom were long term and had never shown any symptoms during our time together (though I will admit to not consistently using condoms).  When I tested positive for HSV 2 I contacted both of my former partners and both tested negative for the virus.  My partner at the time had also tested negative and had not had symptoms.  I had also never had symptoms of genital herpes before or after my positive test results.    

My test results were as follows:

Mid Jan - HSV 1 igg - negative / HSV 2 igg - equivalent
Late March - HSV 1 igg - negative / HSV 2 igg - positive

(after doing some research about low false positives I called my doctor to try to get the actual numerical values of my test, only to find out that the lab did not report them.  To try to find out if my result was low or high positive I had a third test from a different lab)

Mid April - HSV1 igg - negative / HSV 2 igg - negative

I had a Western Blot test performed a week after the third test came back negative.  The WB was also negative.

I was told by my doctor that the test was conclusive and there was not a chance of it being wrong.  I also felt as though I was given the positive result without any information and left to figure everything out on my own... which lead me to some incredibly stupid conclusions.  

When I feel that I lack control of a situation I do as much research as I can, which is how I found this information, but not everyone reacts the same way.  It just so happened that I also learned about the low false positive possibility through a friend of a friend after I had already stumbled across the information on this forum by accident.  Had I not stumbled upon the information by chance, I would have looked for it specifically after being told about the possibility of having a false positive.  I've told my friends about my experience on the off chance that someone THEY know might have a similar issue that they can help with, and save someone else a whole lot of heartache.
  
This forum was an amazing resource and Grace was incredibly helpful and deserving of all the thanks that I am not capable of adequately conveying.

[casagrande]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/HSV2-Retest-GET-ONE-if-500-on-igg-test/show/1518530?camp=watch_list

Just went and got confirmatory testing on a low igg positive result, turned out negative.

[TerrifiedConfused]

...It seems like everyone who has tested positive then re-tested and was negative never showed signs of herpes... im working on getting my insurance set up so i can get tested at a private facility and im reading other stories to find similarities i have very weird symptoms.              anyways my question is did any show symptoms before they got tested the first time? if so did anyone have cuts? not sores.

[wow100]

I was tested 3 times with an unknown brand HSV2 IgG test.

Test #1 happened one year+ after my last sexual encounter.

Test 1: IgG 2.73
Test 2: IgG 2.17 (one week after test #1)
Test 3: IgG 2.78 (six months after test #2)
WesternBlot: negative (two weeks after test #3)

My original post: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Three-Positives-then-Came-The-Negative-/show/1538910

[helloH]

Mine is a rare case of low positive being a confirmed positive.

I had no symptoms and tested basically to rule out herpes before starting new relationship. I was sure I could not have it. I had one long-term partner and we both thought we were clean.

Herpes Select came positive for both types, HSV2 1.97. As I read, not only it was low, after many years with herpes, the number should be even higher. At the same time I had what I thought could be a breakout (very mild). So I did Western Blot, and it came positive.

The nurse told me numbers do not correlate with years living with the infection. It is totally individual. I am glad I spent some money and got WB done.

[petal130]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Definitely-get-the-western-blot/show/1580974

[hadley07]

Here is a link to my post which discusses my testing story.  
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/My-confirmatory-testing-story--/show/1585737

[LoseUrMind]

I was tested in August 2011 for HSV1/HSV2.

Results were: HSV1 Igg = negative
                     HSV2 Igg =  4.7 positive

Confirmation test by Western Blot September 2011:

Results were : HSV1 negative
                      HSV 2 negative

[veryttscared]

dear grace,
im in panic mode.. my new partner rightfully requested std tests and everything was ngve except hsv 1+2. i dont have recent memory of cold sores and i definitely never had outbreaks genitally..do men experience genital outbreaks? my results were

hsv1 igg- 1.80
hsv2 igg-  1.60

can these be false positives? what should my next action be ? my world is upside down right now.. i havent had a sexual encounter for about five months. thanks for you help

[gracefromHHP]

you have a low hsv2 igg and it needs confirmed with further testing.

grace

[newbobfor2012]

hsv 1 5.5
hsv 2 1.66

biokit was done one bar was pink, the other bar was not as pink as the first. There suppose to be two dark pink bars. Currently waiting for the Western blot, pray for me please.

[Marie566298]

I had two igg tests showing hsv2 as 1.98 and 2.26.  My hsv1 results were over 3 each time.  These were done by Labcorp and the nurse said I was a carrier.  I have had no symptoms other than oral.  

Just got WB results today....hsv1 positive, hsv2 negative!  (the nurse sounded astonished.)  Hope this helps others that might have a false positive.  

On the bright side, the stress of all this has caused a complete change in how I feel about unprotected sex.  I've learned so much and wish everyone the best.  

Thank you, Grace!  You have taught me so much about how to take better care of my health and how misunderstood herpes really is.