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False Positive?
Hello,
A week and a half ago, I tested negative for HSV-1 and positive for HSV-2 after taking an IGG herpes-select blood test (3.18). Now, I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'm positive, but I also see that there's a chance for a false-positive (as slim as that chance is). There seems to be some disagreement throughout the forum as to the range where results are considered equivicol. That is, where the chance of a false-positive is present. Some say anything under 5 can be a false-positive, others say 3.5, and i even saw 2.5. I'm scheduled to be re-tested in a month.
My questions are as follows:
1) Is there a chance that this is a false positive? If so, what are those chances? And what would trigger a false-positive?
2) I've read that condoms reduce transmission of HSV-2 by 1/3. What does this mean exactly? That the chance of tranmission with a latex condom is about 75%? Isn't that significantly lower than HIV?
3) Can one lead a "normal" life with herpes? I can't even begin to imagine bringing this up to a female later on down the road...
With great gratitude.
A week and a half ago, I tested negative for HSV-1 and positive for HSV-2 after taking an IGG herpes-select blood test (3.18). Now, I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'm positive, but I also see that there's a chance for a false-positive (as slim as that chance is). There seems to be some disagreement throughout the forum as to the range where results are considered equivicol. That is, where the chance of a false-positive is present. Some say anything under 5 can be a false-positive, others say 3.5, and i even saw 2.5. I'm scheduled to be re-tested in a month.
My questions are as follows:
1) Is there a chance that this is a false positive? If so, what are those chances? And what would trigger a false-positive?
2) I've read that condoms reduce transmission of HSV-2 by 1/3. What does this mean exactly? That the chance of tranmission with a latex condom is about 75%? Isn't that significantly lower than HIV?
3) Can one lead a "normal" life with herpes? I can't even begin to imagine bringing this up to a female later on down the road...
With great gratitude.
it's best if you start your own thread to get your questions answered, otherwise it is very confusing.
I wish I would have know that...I had a test of 2.79 and then read to get western blot and did and my doctors didn't know anything and acted like I was crazy to get another test and then my western blot came back still intermittent like a two not sure go in next week. They did say I could retest in 3 months. Is it possible to get low numbers like that on both and still have it be a false positive? I don't want to keep spending money want to be sure.
This story gives me a lot of hope seeing as I am in a similar range of 3.29 for HSV2 IgG. We'll see what happens after the extra blood work tomorrow. Western blot and Herpeselect IgG2 w/ reflex to HSV2 inhibition.
you need to wait 4 months for the WB to be accurate. reschedule it for a later date when enough time has passed.
grace
grace
maybe even thinking wow....lol stupid fingers....he he he
usually when you have a low positive hsv2 on herpeselect and a negative biokit, it really is negative. the WB will confirm your status :) just to confirm - has it been at least 4 months since the last time you had sex?
we don't really know what all makes the low positives but having hsv1 can cause cross reactivity.
usually when you have a low positive hsv2 on herpeselect and a negative biokit, it really is negative. the WB will confirm your status :) just to confirm - has it been at least 4 months since the last time you had sex?
we don't really know what all makes the low positives but having hsv1 can cause cross reactivity.
Yes indeed!
But if since they're conflicting results, which one should I go with? And by the way, what would have triggered the false positive?
Thanks again!
But if since they're conflicting results, which one should I go with? And by the way, what would have triggered the false positive?
Thanks again!
the accuracy is about the same. The biokit looks at a different part of the igg response than the herpeselect does. when you take them both, it raises the odds of an accurate test a lot.
I'd certainly be thinking "wpw, that grace chick actually knows what she's talking about doesn't she" at this point :)
grace
I'd certainly be thinking "wpw, that grace chick actually knows what she's talking about doesn't she" at this point :)
grace
Hi Grace,
So I took the BioKit test today and the results came back negative! I'm scheduled for a Western Blot test on Wed. I'm afraid to get my hopes up too high, but my Dr. said I should feel pretty confident in the BioKit results. He says they're more accurate than the Herpes Select blood test I took initially (one month and a week ago). Is he correct? And how excited should I be?
Thanks again!
So I took the BioKit test today and the results came back negative! I'm scheduled for a Western Blot test on Wed. I'm afraid to get my hopes up too high, but my Dr. said I should feel pretty confident in the BioKit results. He says they're more accurate than the Herpes Select blood test I took initially (one month and a week ago). Is he correct? And how excited should I be?
Thanks again!
Hey Grace,
Thank you so much for your quick response and your encouraging words. I guess the only think I can do now is wait and pray--a lot!
Best.
Thank you so much for your quick response and your encouraging words. I guess the only think I can do now is wait and pray--a lot!
Best.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/low-positives---confirmatory-results/show/1097724?personal_page_id=873762#post_5060604 is a prior post on this here in this forum with links to more info.
pretty much anyone with an igg under 5 who can't recall any obvious lesions ever should confirm their status. once you get over 3.5 the odds of a false positive lower but it's still worthwhile doing. Once you get to 5, it's not likely to be a false positive.
condoms reduce the transmission of hsv2 by 30%. this means if you had 100 people who were hsv2- but their partners were hsv2+, over the course of a year, if they did nothing but use condoms and avoid sex during obvious symptoms, 70 of those folks would contract hsv2 ( ok in theory much less than that would contract hsv2 but I can only do simple math so go along with this ). condoms reduce the transmission of hiv by 80% when used all the time.
can one lead a normal life with herpes? hell yes! you abstain from sex when you have symptoms. no different from abstaining because your partner has a yeast infection or just doesn't want you near them because they have their period. You can control ob's with daily suppressive therapy so that there are even less times to abstain from sex. If you and your partner want, you can also use condoms. it's totally up to the two o fyou. there's nothing about sex you have to avoid because of herpes.
grace
pretty much anyone with an igg under 5 who can't recall any obvious lesions ever should confirm their status. once you get over 3.5 the odds of a false positive lower but it's still worthwhile doing. Once you get to 5, it's not likely to be a false positive.
condoms reduce the transmission of hsv2 by 30%. this means if you had 100 people who were hsv2- but their partners were hsv2+, over the course of a year, if they did nothing but use condoms and avoid sex during obvious symptoms, 70 of those folks would contract hsv2 ( ok in theory much less than that would contract hsv2 but I can only do simple math so go along with this ). condoms reduce the transmission of hiv by 80% when used all the time.
can one lead a normal life with herpes? hell yes! you abstain from sex when you have symptoms. no different from abstaining because your partner has a yeast infection or just doesn't want you near them because they have their period. You can control ob's with daily suppressive therapy so that there are even less times to abstain from sex. If you and your partner want, you can also use condoms. it's totally up to the two o fyou. there's nothing about sex you have to avoid because of herpes.
grace
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
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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.
