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HSV 1 false positive?
Hello Terri,
I had a bad yeast infection back in November 2012. I got some sores also on my penis gland. My doctor thought that I am having HSV 1/2. He ordered a blood test (igg). Both came back negative for HSV 1 and 2. Then he gave me fluconazole for the yeast infection and it healed me. Then last year November (2013), I had similar symptoms on my penis gland and under the foreskin. I got fluconazole from the doctor for the yeast infection, but it did not go away completely (It healed and came back several times). Both times, doctor asked me to use an antibiotic cream (mupirocin/bactroban). I used it since Nov. 2013 to Feb. 2014. The cream kind of controlled the condition (I do not know I overused it). Then I went to see my dermatologist Feb. 7 2014. He again suspected my symptoms as HSV 1/2 and ordered me to do a blood test and prescribed me valtrex for five days. But, I did not take valtrex until I hear the results from the blood test. I only used a topical cream that my dermatologist gave me on that day (Alcortin A). With the use of topical cream (for 4 days) it healed me up before I heard about the results from the blood test (igg). This time it came back positive for hsv 1 (1.65) for HSV 1 [may be genital hsv 1 because I had complications in penis (on gland and under the foreskin]. HSV 2 was still negative. Then the nurse called me and asked me to use valtrex as prescribed for five days. I am so frustrated with the result.
I cannot believe it. I did not have any symptoms for HSV. My wife did not have any symptoms to HSV all this time. Could this be a false positive (igg value of 1.65)? I am planning to request a Western Blot test soon.
Could someone please explain this to me. I really appreciate it.
Thanks a lot.
I had a bad yeast infection back in November 2012. I got some sores also on my penis gland. My doctor thought that I am having HSV 1/2. He ordered a blood test (igg). Both came back negative for HSV 1 and 2. Then he gave me fluconazole for the yeast infection and it healed me. Then last year November (2013), I had similar symptoms on my penis gland and under the foreskin. I got fluconazole from the doctor for the yeast infection, but it did not go away completely (It healed and came back several times). Both times, doctor asked me to use an antibiotic cream (mupirocin/bactroban). I used it since Nov. 2013 to Feb. 2014. The cream kind of controlled the condition (I do not know I overused it). Then I went to see my dermatologist Feb. 7 2014. He again suspected my symptoms as HSV 1/2 and ordered me to do a blood test and prescribed me valtrex for five days. But, I did not take valtrex until I hear the results from the blood test. I only used a topical cream that my dermatologist gave me on that day (Alcortin A). With the use of topical cream (for 4 days) it healed me up before I heard about the results from the blood test (igg). This time it came back positive for hsv 1 (1.65) for HSV 1 [may be genital hsv 1 because I had complications in penis (on gland and under the foreskin]. HSV 2 was still negative. Then the nurse called me and asked me to use valtrex as prescribed for five days. I am so frustrated with the result.
I cannot believe it. I did not have any symptoms for HSV. My wife did not have any symptoms to HSV all this time. Could this be a false positive (igg value of 1.65)? I am planning to request a Western Blot test soon.
Could someone please explain this to me. I really appreciate it.
Thanks a lot.
HSV1 is not just a sexually transmitted disease. The overwhelming majority of infections come from face to face contact between parent or close family member and child. You do not need to recall cold sores to have the infection which is asymptomatic in a proportion of cases.
Thanks for the reply. We did not get any cold sores. My wife had/has only one partner. That is me. I will do re-testing after sometimes. Thanks again.
If you had your blood test within a few weeks of symptoms first appearing, it may have been too early to detect antibodies for HSV1. Hence for the second test, your body may now be making the antibodies.
The level is somewhat low, in the range of being a false positive where things other than the antibodies react with the test. HSV1 testing can miss some infections, hence if a different manufacturer's test was applied perhaps it is picking up an oral infection that has always been there since your youth (you don't need to remember oral cold sores to be infected, that applies to your wife).
Why are the doctors swabbing sores for herpes. If you can get to them just as a sore is appearing, this will help with a diagnosis as HSV1 will always present issues as to location or even both locations.
Your wife may still be a source regardless of whether she recalls oral cold sores.
You have a few options. Wait a few more weeks and retest and see if your antibody levels have shifted materially. Upwards you are most probably infected and downwards you may well not be infected.
Once you reach 16 weeks post your first known symptoms, you could have a Westernblot HSV test which is the most accurate you can obtain.
The level is somewhat low, in the range of being a false positive where things other than the antibodies react with the test. HSV1 testing can miss some infections, hence if a different manufacturer's test was applied perhaps it is picking up an oral infection that has always been there since your youth (you don't need to remember oral cold sores to be infected, that applies to your wife).
Why are the doctors swabbing sores for herpes. If you can get to them just as a sore is appearing, this will help with a diagnosis as HSV1 will always present issues as to location or even both locations.
Your wife may still be a source regardless of whether she recalls oral cold sores.
You have a few options. Wait a few more weeks and retest and see if your antibody levels have shifted materially. Upwards you are most probably infected and downwards you may well not be infected.
Once you reach 16 weeks post your first known symptoms, you could have a Westernblot HSV test which is the most accurate you can obtain.
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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.
