non-HSV1, non-HSV2; but HSV 1/2 IgG+

[caligirl2009]

I recently discovered that my partner who never had any symptoms tested positive for HSV-2. I was tested and following are my results:

HSV 1/2 Ab IgG positive at (1.67), IgM negative
BUT
HSV 1 and HSV-2 type specific antibodies were both negative. Does this mean this is a yet, unidentified type of herpes (a la non-hepA, non-hepB that turned out to be hepC) or is it simply either the HSV1 or HSV2 that has lost its glycoprotein? What do I do with the results? Retested? Is it possible that it has been too soon to detect the glycoprotein 1/2? I've been in this relationship for several months, but the test was approx 1 week after last exposure.

Thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sorry for the misunderstanding as to whose values we were discussing.

Your IgG is not positive for HSV.   When antibodies are measured using the techniques used in the HerpeSelect and other ELISA-type tests, they read baseline or background levels which are reported numerically.  The test is positive only when the nummerical levels rise above that baseline level.  Thus a person can have an irrelevant ratio of background measures which favor either infection this is the for you.  Such measures are an artifact of the system.  This is the reason I said they were misleading earlier.

There is no evidence that you have herpes, including some heretofore unidentififed strain.  EWH

[caligirl2009]

The above listed results were MINE, not my partner's. My partner was positive for HSV-2 by a reliable test...and hence my question about need for retesting for myself at a later date?

Again, my question focuses on interpretation of my results:
1) why is the IgG positive to HSV but the type specific HSV-1 and HSV-2 both negative? 2) Then, what strain do I have? is it some yet unidentified strain?

Thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Presuming that your partner was tested using a reliable, type-specific antibody test, you can relax.  The HSV-1/HSV-2 ratio is a laboratory fabrication that is sometimes helpful (to others, not me.  I think it is more often misleading and a waste of time) in sorting out test results who are positve on boththe HSV-1 and HSV-2 assays.  Your partner is negative on both assays and thus the ratio is of no relevance or use.

Your partner does not have either HSV-1 or HSV-2.  No retesting is needed.  EWH