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STDs (Expert Forum)
Received Western Blot results- need advice
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
Received Western Blot results- need advice
by gambit816, Nov 24, 2008 02:10AM
I got a full STD workup done. I had a type-specific HSV test done as well, I believe it was the Herpes Select. The first time I had it done, it came back in the low positive range, under a 2. The second time it was at 2 or maybe slightly above, and less than a month later, I had it done a third time with another doctor at it came in at 1.68. It was negative for type 1 every time. I've had a limited number of partners, and had sex with only one woman without a condom about 12 years ago. I've never had a symptom, not even something minor. I recently had a sample sent to the Univ. of WA to have the Western Blot for HSV done. It came back negative for both type 1 and type 2. What would be your diagnosis here? Even though the 3 previous tests kept coming back in the low positive range, they were all the same kind of test. What could those tests have been picking up to cause the false positive if the Western Blot is indeed correct, and I am negative? That would be the one question a potential partner could ask me that I have no answer for. Is it in your medical opinion that the Western Blot "outranks" the Herpes Select, and I can move on with confidence here?
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Nov 24, 2008 11:43AM
, Nov 24, 2008 11:43AM
You do not have herpes and can be confident of that. The Herpes Select test that you had was stable and falsely positive. When it was developed, the performance of the HerpeSelect was compared to the Western Blot which is the "gold standard" for serological diagnosis of herpes. In lower risk persons, a majority of the low positive HereSelect results turn out to be false positive. False positive results can occur due to a tremendous number of causes including antibodies to HSV-1 (we know you don't have this), to the varicella zoster virus (chicken pox), or many other causes. Chances are you will never know why your tests have been false positive.
to summarize, believe the Western Blot. You do not have herpes and your low positive HerpeSelect result is a false positive. There is a fair chance that it will remain false positive.
Hope this helps. EWH
to summarize, believe the Western Blot. You do not have herpes and your low positive HerpeSelect result is a false positive. There is a fair chance that it will remain false positive.
Hope this helps. EWH
Member Comments (1)
by peaceofmindplease, Aug 28, 2009 10:11PM
A related discussion, Similar Problem was started.
