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Conflicting HSV-1 IgG results
So I have a new girlfriend with an odd history. She developed an ulceration on her mons pubis ~2 years ago and went to the ED. She had no sexual contacts within ~6 months prior to this and was currently on steroids for crohn's dz. The ED doc cultured the ulcer for herpes and it was (-). However, he said that it looked like herpes and prescribed valtrex. She was told to go see an Ob/gyn doc. She did and they biopsied the ulcer and immunohistochemical staining was (-), however, the path results say that it had histological features consistent with herpetic inclusions. She had a HSV type specific test and her HSV-1 IgG was positive and her HSV-2 IgG was negative. This was all ~1.5 years ago. So when we started dating again, i asked her to get tested for STD's and she had a repeat type-specific HSV IgG test done, which showed HSV-1 IgG negative AND HSV-2 IgG negative. She has not had any further ulcerations genitally and has never had oral ulcers.
So my question is this:
1. How do you interpret these test results?
2. If her previous genital ulcer was HSV-1, what is the chance of me acquiring it if we continue to have sexual intercourse and how would it present differently from HSV-2?
Thank you all so much for your help!
So my question is this:
1. How do you interpret these test results?
2. If her previous genital ulcer was HSV-1, what is the chance of me acquiring it if we continue to have sexual intercourse and how would it present differently from HSV-2?
Thank you all so much for your help!
So i guess that leaves me with a dilemma. If i wait until she has an outbreak, then it's probably herpes; and if she never has another outbreak, then it probably isn't.
However, i'm trying to make a relationship decision based on whether she has herpes or not.
Is there any utility in repeating the HSV IgG test again? In my understanding, they have sensitivities and specificities that are >95%, which makes her results fairly confusing. (is the first positive a false positive or is the repeat test negative a false negative?)
However, i'm trying to make a relationship decision based on whether she has herpes or not.
Is there any utility in repeating the HSV IgG test again? In my understanding, they have sensitivities and specificities that are >95%, which makes her results fairly confusing. (is the first positive a false positive or is the repeat test negative a false negative?)
Even the best blood tests for herpes still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. Odds are that if this is herpes, it's hsv1.
At this point nothing to do but to wait and if she gets a repeat of symptoms, she should be seen promptly for a repeat lesion culture and typing.
Have you ever been tested for herpes to know your own status?
grace
At this point nothing to do but to wait and if she gets a repeat of symptoms, she should be seen promptly for a repeat lesion culture and typing.
Have you ever been tested for herpes to know your own status?
grace
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
