WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

[Mary663]

On April 23 my doctor called me to tell me that my HSV 1/2 IgG lab work came back with a 35.4 H index,
                                                      index 0.00-0.8
                                                      Negative  1.0
i was very scared because i did not know what that was saying. On June 12 she had me take a HSV Type 2-Specific  test. The results showed 1.05 which was flages as been High.
The index that where present where   index 0.00-0.90
                                                      Negative  1.09
So since my result was 1.05 and it falls within the equivocal range does that mean i have herpes or not.I have never experienced any of the outbreaks( cold sores,burning) and my doctor told me to not worry since the test was neither negative or positive. I am very scared because i am  in a relationship and my current boyfriend wants to wait to be married before having sex, i don't want to pass anything on to him. I really want to know if its a yes or no on the Herpes. I have been worried sick and i need so answers.Thanks you for your help.

[Mary663]

So today i got a report from the other doctor stating that no HSV 1 and HSV 2 was Dectected in my blood. The only thing that he stated is that i tested High for HPV Types 16,18,31,33,35,39,45,51,52,56,58,59,68. It also stated  comments General Catergorization: NEGATIVE FOR INTEREPITHELIAL LESION OR MALIGNANCY. He stated that i need not worry because HPV sometime goes away within two years,he just told me to make sure i get regular Paps because of the fear of cervical cancer or gernital warts.So do i need to be scared again or do i need to just forget about this a get another test in 6 months.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Unless there is a big surprise here, the doctor who contacted you by letter does not understand the test result.  You should follow up with his or her office to make sure the letter doesn't refer to an entirely different test with a different result.  If not, I have nothing to add or change in my previous replies and advice.

[Mary663]

So today i received a letter from another doctor from the first hospital which stated that Comment :Your Herpes test was positive.Please call our office soon for an appointment. Now my doctor at that hospital did not talk about an appointment when she told me the results last week and felt the results was a false positive so she told me not to worry.I am waiting for my test results from my  regular doctor and a much more trusted and advanced hospital(the first one is a  comprehensive center and they had some issues with my blood work).I called the doctor and left a message but i think i should not worry since she has not told me to come in for any appointments.I am waiting for the lab work from the other hospital and that will let me know what i need to do.I am emotionally stressed and this is driving me crazying with worry, please offor some advice.Thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The women's clinic nurse is exactly right.  You can recommend her to any friends who require wise advice about STDs, especially herpes testing.  (Feel free to tell her I said so!)

Also read the thread immediately after yours for still more discussion on exactly the same points:  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/547508.  Also the other threads that I mentioned in that one.

[Mary663]

Thank you so much, i went to the womens clinic yesterday and the nurse told me that she will not test me for Herpes since i have only had 2 parterns and i have not had any cold sores ot bumps.I am also certain that i do not have Herpes since my doctor told me  not to worry,i have never had a outbreak and my pap was also normal.Thank you for you information.I now feel much better.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Almost certainly you do not have HSV-2.  Most likely the HSV-2 test was the HerpeSelect test.  Although technically equivocal, I have never seen or heard about a case with an ELISA ratio as low as 1.05 that turned out to be positive.

If you remain nervous, ask your doctor about doing one of the other type-specific HSV-2 blood tests, such as the BiokitUSA test.  That test is done in the doctor's office while the patient waits; it takes 20 minutes.  Or an HSV Western blot test can be done; it is the ultimate gold standard to confirm suspicious results on other tests.  Either way, if a second test also give negative results -- which almost certainly it will -- tyou can be doubly sure you don't have HSV-2.  But even without repeat testing, at this point you can be very confident you don't have HSV-2.

Final comment:  If you did not have a high suspcicion of genital herpes (e.g., symptoms that suggest herpes, exposure to a partner known to be infected), it probably was a mistake to be tested at all.  The lower the risk, the higher the chance of a false positive or borderline result, and a lot of worry while sorting it out.

Good luck--  HHH, MD