Aa
positive hsv-2 test
Dear Dr. Handsfield,
I apologize for being redundant but I wanted to ask you a questions in regards to my situation.
I recently had hsv-2 tests about a year apart. Both times, they came back positive at 3.8 about a year ago and 1.15 about a week ago. I have a high titer for hsv-1 at over 5.
My husband and I are in monogomous relationship and these results are really making me miserable and I'm not sure how and what to think. I have read some threads that indicated that there could potentially be false positives but my first test was above this low-positive range. I just went in for the University of Washington test and I was told to wait about 2 weeks and I can't sleep at night. What are your thoughts given my situation and does it really take two weeks for the result? I read on University of Washington's webpage and it says that it maybe as short as 3 days upto two weeks. Would it be worth my time to call and check with the University or Washington Lab to see the status of my blood test? I can't do anything or sleep. Please help!
I apologize for being redundant but I wanted to ask you a questions in regards to my situation.
I recently had hsv-2 tests about a year apart. Both times, they came back positive at 3.8 about a year ago and 1.15 about a week ago. I have a high titer for hsv-1 at over 5.
My husband and I are in monogomous relationship and these results are really making me miserable and I'm not sure how and what to think. I have read some threads that indicated that there could potentially be false positives but my first test was above this low-positive range. I just went in for the University of Washington test and I was told to wait about 2 weeks and I can't sleep at night. What are your thoughts given my situation and does it really take two weeks for the result? I read on University of Washington's webpage and it says that it maybe as short as 3 days upto two weeks. Would it be worth my time to call and check with the University or Washington Lab to see the status of my blood test? I can't do anything or sleep. Please help!
Just got my result from the University of Washington.
Positive HSV-1 and Negative HSV-2.
Thank you.
Positive HSV-1 and Negative HSV-2.
Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum. Unfortunately, I cannot help much.
Your HSV-2 antibody tests indeed are confusing. The first two results certainly suggest you have HSV-2. (In fact, I have to wonder why the third test was done at all. Had you been my patient, I would have stopped there, secure in the knowledge that you indeed are infected with HSV-2. But having had the third, confusing (borderline, possibly negative) result, my next advice would have done exactly what your provider did: a final HSV Western blot test (which is done only at the University of Washington, where the HSV WB test was developed and remains the final arbiter of unusual HSV antibody results).
At this point, there is nothing to do but await that test result. Most of the 3 week wait probably is the time for specimen transport and conveying the result to your doctor's lab, and then to his or her office. I suppose it couldn't hurt to call the UW lab directly to try to learn the result a bit earlier; or tell your own provider how nervous you are and ask him or her to call for an early result. But other than that I have no advice.
Feel free to return to the forum once you have the result, if you would like my final judgment about the test results. But I won't be able to help further until then.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Your HSV-2 antibody tests indeed are confusing. The first two results certainly suggest you have HSV-2. (In fact, I have to wonder why the third test was done at all. Had you been my patient, I would have stopped there, secure in the knowledge that you indeed are infected with HSV-2. But having had the third, confusing (borderline, possibly negative) result, my next advice would have done exactly what your provider did: a final HSV Western blot test (which is done only at the University of Washington, where the HSV WB test was developed and remains the final arbiter of unusual HSV antibody results).
At this point, there is nothing to do but await that test result. Most of the 3 week wait probably is the time for specimen transport and conveying the result to your doctor's lab, and then to his or her office. I suppose it couldn't hurt to call the UW lab directly to try to learn the result a bit earlier; or tell your own provider how nervous you are and ask him or her to call for an early result. But other than that I have no advice.
Feel free to return to the forum once you have the result, if you would like my final judgment about the test results. But I won't be able to help further until then.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
