Herpes Select Test Accuracy? Very confused!

[dscowan]

It is my understanding that the hepres select test done by Labcorp is a very good and accurate test, BUT, and this is a big but, the test is only accurate providing that you have had enough time to develope antibodies.

So my question is...How much time is required and from what point? Should you measure from the time from intial exposure to the virus from a partner, OR, is it the time from the first time you have had an intial outbreak?

I think I was exposed 6-7 month ago from a partner, but I did not present symtoms until about 45 days ago during a strange painful red rash. I have taken 2 herpes select test form Labcorp. The first was a month ago during the first suspicion of an outbreak. The second test was just the other day - a little over month later (I then had a new single bump during the second test but no blistering at all - it was not the same as the rash and it went away in a week)...here are my results:

35 days ago
hsv-1 negative
hsv-2 negative

current test a couple of days ago
hsv-1 equivocal .97 (I have never has a cold sore or ant lesion in the oral region)
hsv-2 negative

I was presenting genital symptoms during both tests when blood was drawn. Is it possible that I could have herpes hsv-2 even with 2 negative results? Could the very low "equivocal" hsv-1 result be reading faint antibodies from the hsv-2 virus? I'm loving the negative hsv-2 results, but frankly my symptoms and partner past history are not making me believe the 2 negative results.

Multiple false negatives seem to be very possible here if one its measure from the time of the 1st noticble outbreak, but if you should measure from time of intial exposure, it seems unlikey that I would have 2 negative results 6-7 months later after exposure. At this point, should I have sufficient hsv-2 anti-bodies or do i need to wait longer and take anotehr test?  

Thank you for your thoughts in advance! Any related info is appreciated.



    

[dscowan]

Hi,

Thank you for the information so far...it is great to get some understanding feedback:

I had a few question, but here is my latest update:

My test history is as follows:

April (during 1st outbreak)
HSV1- Neg
HSV-2 Neg

May
HSV-1 Equivicol
HSV-2 Negative

October
HSV-1 Positive
HSV-2 Negative.

The unexplained pain/rash/tranlucent skin (it never scabbed) was on my penis in April...so it seems very likely that I was infected with HSV-1 / genital through oral sex in from my current partner in April. Do you agree? Does this make sense?.

I have not been with anyone else since April.  I have never had a sore on my mouth in my life.

Should I get tested again since I have had three different results, or do you think my results are clear enough?

Also, assuming I have HSV-1 genital region, can I get still HSV-2 genital if exposed? Could I get HSV-1 and HSV-2 in ONE region?  

And, can I get HSV-1, oral? That doesn't seem possible at all - I guess there is an odd silver lining there :)

Again,thank you for all that you do on this site!

[gracefromHHP]

Your body begins making protective antibodies from the moment you are infected - doesn't matter if you get symptoms 2 weeks later or you don't think you've gotten symptoms until 20 years later - the process begins immediately.

Ob's can vary in appearance in the same person. In your case, sounds like it's time to stop thinking herpes as a cause.  

grace

[dscowan]

Thank you very much for the helpful infomation! If there is any more suspicion, I'll be sure to go the doctor and get a culture done.

But just a quick question, does your body begin making anti-bodies after exposure during sex or after the 1st outbreak?

And, can herpes, in a male, present 2 totally different types of symptoms? In other words, could the lesion / outbreak look different? That a seems unlikely.

[gracefromHHP]

Labcorp is no longer offering the herpeselect test - they do the captia test. Even when a provider orders a herpeselect thru them - the captia test still gets done.

2 negative igg blood tests makes it likely that this isn't hsv2. It could be hsv1 but even that is doubtful ( even the best blood tests we have still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections ).

At this point it's no longer a good idea to get herpes blood tests. More than enough time has passed since the last time you had sex for your blood tests to be accurate. Everytime you have symptoms you need to be going to be seen and if they suspect herpes, despite your 2 negative igg blood tests, they should be doing lesion cultures and typing, not blood tests.

grace