igg negative test results

[kimmie146]

4 years ago i had a culture done to test for herpes, i was told at that time is was positive for the herpes virus, however at that time i did not have the igm or the igg test done to determine whether it was type 1 or type 2. Now it is 4 years later and i requested the igg test and it came back negative for both types. My doctor says that i exposer was mild at the time could  the culture been false. How can i come back 4 years later and a be negative with the igg test. Are there any other test i can have to determine if i do in fact have herpes.

I would appreciate if anyone could help me to understand this and help me to know where i stand with this.

Thanks


This discussion is related to Test results show negative IgM and 0.97 for IgG.

[scared_half_to_death]

Hmmm...

Cultures are not false positive (unless they mixed your samples up with someone else which is rare).

You did not say which test you had, so it is hard to say what other tests you can do. The best tests are:

HerpesSelect - HSV1 and HSV2 (available through the biggest labs)
Biokit - HSV2 Only (hard to find check their website and call for a provider)
Western Blot - HSV1 and HSV2 (only available by having your Dr. contact the University of Washington)

People can be false negative for Herpes. This is uncommon but occurs under the following scenarios with HerpesSelect:

1. Person has HSV1, but tests negative for HSV1
2. Person has HSV1 and HSV2, but tests negative for HSV2

If the person recently acquired herpes i.e. less than 6 months, false negatives are more common.

Do you have an idea of how you caught herpes? Was it from Oral Sex, Anal Sex, or Vaginal Sex? Where did your lesions appear?

[auntiejessi]

If you had the herpeselect test, it is only about 91% accurate for hsv1, so its possible it just missed a type 1 infection.

Have you had any outbreaks since then?

AJ

[gracefromHHP]

You also posted this in the herpes forum.  It's appreciated if you just stick to one forum and not be asking the same questions in both.

thank you.

grace

[congm]

If herpeselect test is 91% accurancy for HSV1 how much its accurancy for HSV2? in general and also after 10 weeks from exposure?

[scared_half_to_death]

This is a bit complex...

1. If you have HSV2 and do NOT have HSV1
    - Herpes Select will show HSV2+ in: 77% after 6 weeks, 93% after 3 months
    - 10 weeks is somewhere in between

2. If you have HSV2 and have HSV1
    - Herpes Select will show HSV2+ in: 59% after 6 weeks, 73% after 3 months
    - 10 weeks is somewhere in between

3. If you have HSV1 and do NOT have HSV2
    - 50% of HSV2 results between 1.1 and 3.5 will be false positive

[scared_half_to_death]

Overall sensitivity to HSV2 is 96%+ (of HSV2 infections are detected) and selectivity is 97%+ (are not false positives)

[iiuu]

so as scared_half_to_death' words, if i have HSV1, my HSV2 herpeselect reslut show  negatives, is the result trustworthy?

[auntiejessi]

Yes.

[iiuu]

but so as scared_half_to_death say, if people have HSV1 , the HSV2 negatives can be false.

[auntiejessi]

ok I'm sorry.  I don't recall your situation offhand.  Its really helpful if you could keep your questions to your own thread, so I can scroll up and see your timing, symptoms, etc.

I can't answer this with certainty until I read your other info.  

AJ

[scared_half_to_death]

It depends...

If your possible exposure is less than 6 months AND you have reason to believe that you have HSV2, then you should be somewhat concerned. If you have no reason to believe that you have HSV2 then don't worry about it. Be sure that your reasons are valid, e.g. "I had unprotected sex with someone that may or may not have herpes" is not necessarily a valid reason. This may equate to "I am paranoid about catching an STD". If this is the case, then maybe you should not have sex or be more careful in selecting a partner (i.e. choose someone that is just as paranoid.)

If you test positive for HSV1 and HSV2 via HerpesSelect AND your HSV2 score is between 1.1 and 3.5, then your HSV2 result may be a false positive. This should be reconfirmed in a few months via a repeat HerpesSelect test, Biokit, or Western Blot.

Testing is not absolute. It has to be taken in context of your situation.

- Likelihood that you really were exposed to an infection
- Likelihood that you actually could have caught the infection
- Symptoms
- Test Results

If all indicators point toward an infection, then you are most likely infected. If the indicators point different directions then you may require:

a. Research into your background (e.g. do you have a large number of partners, are you in a high-risk group, are your partners infected)
b. Additional tests by the same or different methods
c. Wait for additional symptoms to appear (e.g. an outbreak)

This can take time to sort out.

[iiuu]

i had sex, but hadnot unprotected sex with someone, my Herpeselect elisa relsut is HSVI positive,  HSV2 negatives. it is trustworthy?

[auntiejessi]

If you haven't had unprotected sex with anyone, your chances of hsv2 are very very low, and you should trust those results.

Can we please keep all your questions to your thread?

AJ

[scared_half_to_death]

I concur with Jess.