Conflicting IGG HSV Results

[BrentBlack]

In December 2009 during my annual blood screening, my doctor told me I tested positive for both HSV1 (5.46) and HSV2 (10.79).  I was tested the year prior and came back negative for both.  Additionally, I have not had any symptoms.  I immediately began taking Valtrex to avoid infecting my fiance (but I had been with a number of women since my last negative test).  Last week (14-Jun-11) I went to my new dr for annual testing and requested HSV retesting. My results came back negative for both (HSV1: 0.12; HSV2: 0.06).  My fiance has never tested positive.  I dont know what brand my positive test was, but my most recent negative test was HerpesSelect. My questions are: Do I have HSV1 or 2?  What happened?  What should I do?  Can the Valtrex I have been taking affect the results?  I know I have several strains of HPV, could that have given me a false postive?  Please help!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, if antibody development has been delayed, waiting a month for it to fully develop might help (although, as I suggested, my prediction is that you do not have herpes and that the repeat test will, again, be negative) EWH

[BrentBlack]

Last question/clarification:  Do you see any benefit in waiting a month before getting retested, as my dr has proposed?  Thanks again

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I think you may have mis-read my suggestion.  I really think you'd do better being off valacyclovir at this time although I doubt that it will make much of a difference.

I think the middle lab value is erroneous.  I suspect it is more likely that your blood was mis-identified than that a math transcription error could have occurred but certainly anything is possible.

finally, your result do not seem abnormally low.  EWH

[BrentBlack]

Thank you so much for your thoughts and your empathy with suggesting I can stay on the valtrex until this is resolved...you read my mind.  My dr just told me I can get retested, but need to wait a month.  I'm not sure he clearly understands my situation. Do you see any benefit in waiting a month to be retested? Also, it seems to me that my results were nearly identical, just off my a factor of 100.  Rather than results or blood getting mixed up, could someone simply missed placed the decimal pt? Did my positive results seem abnormally high or my negative results seem abnormally low?  Thanks again!!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I cannot explain the variation in your test results.  I cannot help wonder whether or not, even though it is quite rare, that your blood or test results may have mixed up with someone else's.  The chances that you somehow acquired both HSV-1 an HSV-2 without experiencing any symptoms AND that your fiancé, whom I presume you have been with for some time is also negative for both is incredibly unlikely.  Although blood test values can fluctuate between tests, the idea that test for both viruses would go from negative to strongly positive and then back to clearly being negative is most unlikely.    

Valtrex would not make the test results change, neither would your HPV infections.  I would stop taking the valaciclovir.  If you are uncomfortable with this approach then I suggest you get ONE more test.  I predict it will be negative and when it is, then stop the valaciclovir.

Sorry to hear you are going through this. I hope my comments are helpful. EWH