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Herpes Diagnosis
Hi Doctor,
I recently went to the doctor and got a full STD panel. I came back “weakly positive” for both herpes 1 and 2 as well as having a candida infection. When I went in to discuss my results, I asked what the ‘weakly positive’ reading for herpes 1 and 2 meant. He said that my level of infection was small and because of this it might be possible to ‘knock it off’. He gave me Famclovir 250mg to take three times a day. After taking the medication I went in to be retested, but for all three tests (herpes 1, 2 and candida) I gave a urine sample and that is how I am to be diagnosed.
I am confused.
1. I asked how he got the positive reading and he said through the vaginal swab. The doctor said he did the PCR test, and that this is very accurate. My STD test was taken 10 days after the sexual encounter. I understand that individuals can start having episodes as soon as 2 days after they were exposed, so this seems likely, however how rare are internal sores and is this test accurate?
2. No where in any of my reading says that a urine test is adequate for testing for the presence of herpes. Is this an accurate test for herpes? Can you do the PCR test on urine? Can you do the PCR test on vaginal cells?
3. Have you ever heard of someone testing ‘weakly positive’ for herpes 1 and 2, taking medication and then being retested and found negative? The doctor said he has had a few patients where this was the case, however it is too rare to be written up in medical journals. Everything I’ve read states that herpes cannot be ‘knocked off’.
I just got back my urine test and was weakly positive for all three tests, candida, herpes 1 and 2. Should I accept that I now have herpes? Should I wait a little while and get a second opinion, or is this just a waste of time and money? I just want a western doctor (I currently live in South Korea) to say that things were carried out correctly.
Thank you
I recently went to the doctor and got a full STD panel. I came back “weakly positive” for both herpes 1 and 2 as well as having a candida infection. When I went in to discuss my results, I asked what the ‘weakly positive’ reading for herpes 1 and 2 meant. He said that my level of infection was small and because of this it might be possible to ‘knock it off’. He gave me Famclovir 250mg to take three times a day. After taking the medication I went in to be retested, but for all three tests (herpes 1, 2 and candida) I gave a urine sample and that is how I am to be diagnosed.
I am confused.
1. I asked how he got the positive reading and he said through the vaginal swab. The doctor said he did the PCR test, and that this is very accurate. My STD test was taken 10 days after the sexual encounter. I understand that individuals can start having episodes as soon as 2 days after they were exposed, so this seems likely, however how rare are internal sores and is this test accurate?
2. No where in any of my reading says that a urine test is adequate for testing for the presence of herpes. Is this an accurate test for herpes? Can you do the PCR test on urine? Can you do the PCR test on vaginal cells?
3. Have you ever heard of someone testing ‘weakly positive’ for herpes 1 and 2, taking medication and then being retested and found negative? The doctor said he has had a few patients where this was the case, however it is too rare to be written up in medical journals. Everything I’ve read states that herpes cannot be ‘knocked off’.
I just got back my urine test and was weakly positive for all three tests, candida, herpes 1 and 2. Should I accept that I now have herpes? Should I wait a little while and get a second opinion, or is this just a waste of time and money? I just want a western doctor (I currently live in South Korea) to say that things were carried out correctly.
Thank you
My doctor did a blood test 2 years ago and said I was positive for herpes type 2. I have never had an outbreak in my genitals. Recently, I have been getting cold sores on my lips, so she did a blood test again. I was negative for type 1 herpes and she said I was a very weak positive for type 2 herpes. She had me schedule another blood test for 3 months from now to see if it comes back negative or postive for type 2; she said I could just have a virus and that could explain the cold sores and not have type 2. I am confused. Any advise you could give would be appreciated, thanks!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The virus doesn't travel through the body and it is unlikely you could have a truly positive vaginal or urine test for HSV-1. Therefore, your history of cold sores, combined with the report of a "weakly positive" vaginal or urine test for HSV-1, suggests that the PCR test is bogus. So my guess is that you probalby don't have HSV-2 either.
Have a blood test. It sounds like you can expect a positive result for HSV-1 and probably a negative result for HSV-2.
Have a blood test. It sounds like you can expect a positive result for HSV-1 and probably a negative result for HSV-2.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The test results you describe are confusing and you will need to get more information from your provider. There is no "borderline" result on PCR. If you had a positive PCR test from a genital specimen, you have genital herpes. Treatment with famiciclovir or any other antiviral drug will not "fight it off"; you will always be infected. The PCR test will become negative, however, because herpes outbreaks (including asymptomatic viral shedding) are intermittent.
However, there are no standardized, FDA-approved PCR tests; individual labs have developed their own tests, and some undoubtedly are more reliable than others. It is also very unlikely your HSV PCR was positive (even weakly positive) for both virus types. Further, PCR testing is not normally done on urine and I don't know how to interpret that result.
So you need to speak to your provider and get more information; at this point, I don't have a clue whether or not your are infected with HSV-1, HSV-2, both, or neither. A blood test for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibody would help to sort it out. (And as far as candida is concerned, forget it. I never heard of PCR for candida, but if there is one, almost every woman will have positive results at least some of the time. Candida is normal in the genital tract.)
Best wishes--- HHH, MD
However, there are no standardized, FDA-approved PCR tests; individual labs have developed their own tests, and some undoubtedly are more reliable than others. It is also very unlikely your HSV PCR was positive (even weakly positive) for both virus types. Further, PCR testing is not normally done on urine and I don't know how to interpret that result.
So you need to speak to your provider and get more information; at this point, I don't have a clue whether or not your are infected with HSV-1, HSV-2, both, or neither. A blood test for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibody would help to sort it out. (And as far as candida is concerned, forget it. I never heard of PCR for candida, but if there is one, almost every woman will have positive results at least some of the time. Candida is normal in the genital tract.)
Best wishes--- HHH, MD
Hello again doctor,
I forgot to mention that i have had coldsores for over ten years so the positive for herpes type one was no surprise, but as the test was carried out vaginally does that mean it is site specific and that i contracted both type 1 and 2 in the genital region, as well as having type 1 orally?
Thank you
I forgot to mention that i have had coldsores for over ten years so the positive for herpes type one was no surprise, but as the test was carried out vaginally does that mean it is site specific and that i contracted both type 1 and 2 in the genital region, as well as having type 1 orally?
Thank you
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.
