Very low positive Herpeselect test

[danjay]

Dear doctor,

I recently got tested for Herpes and received these results.  
5 weeks ago :
Igg 1.03
This week :
Igg 1.13

I have had 3 longterm monogamous partners my whole life.   About 2.5 months ago, I had sex with a woman with the use of a condom the whole time.  

I have not had any symptoms, except a painless pimple in my groin fold that never blistered or scabbed over.  But wanted to get checked out, because I have never had a one night stand before.  I was very surprised to find out these results, and wanted to hear your thoughts.

Thank you very much.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You really need do nothing else.  You can be virtually 100% sure you don't have HSV-2.  But if you insist on pursuing it, you can start with an HSV-1 HerpeSelect test.  If that's positive, it increases the chance that your very low positive HSV-2 result is meaningless.  (False positive HSV-2 tests are most common in people with postive HSV-1 results.)  Or you can be tested with a different method, such as the BiokitUSA rapid test for HSV-2; or you can spend a few hundred dollars on a Western blot test.  Both of these options are described in more detail in the other forum.  (Did you ever actually read it?  Please take another look and pay close attention.)

That's it for this thread.

[danjay]

Dear doctor,

The tests were for HSV-2.   I have not had a test for HSV-1.  

Do you think I should go ahead and get the test for HSV-1?  Or should I wait for any development of symptoms?  




Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Presumably your test was for HSV-2, yes?  The title of your question implies it was the HerpeSelect test.  If indeed it was HerpeSelect, that is at most an equivocal result that could go either way; but as I said very clearly in the other thread (did you read it??), almost always such low result in fact are NOT positive.

But in order to properly answer your follow-up quesitons, I need those details.  Please confirm it was HerpeSelect, and whether you were tested for HSV-2, HSV-1, or both viruses.  If it was both, provide the numerical results for each. Until then, I cannot help further.

In the meantime, please try to relax about all this.  It seems very unlikely you have genital herpes.

[danjay]

Thank you for your quick answer, Dr.Handsfield

However, I don't think I know my HSV1 status for the cross-reactivity issue that you have mentioned.

Should I get that tested?   (I remember getting what I thought were cold sores as a child, but not too sure)

Or what about the captia(r) test?  

... I was quite shocked to see the big bold "positive" letters when I received my results and would like more reassurance.    


(I live in a small town and it can be embarrassing to go to the family doctor for this sort of a thing.)



Thank you again.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Almost the identical question was asked 2 days ago, with some follow-up comments and discussion as well.  My reply was quite detailed.  The bottom lines are that 1) you probably do not have HSV-2, and you certainly didn't acquire it during the exposure 2.5 months ago and 2) given your very low risk for genital herpes, it wasn't a great idea for you to be tested in the first place.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/543533

Rather than my repeating everything, please read that thread.  If you still have questions after you review it, then feel free to post a follow-up comment.

Regards--  HHH, MD