Herpes Select Test Results

[Alexia444]

I recently had a Herpes Select test and my results were:

HSv 1: 5.09
HSv 2: 2.99

I would like to know what these results mean? My partner wanted me to get tested after she received a culture test, the results came back negative, and was recommended by her physician that she could take the herpes select test in three months.Thanks

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

You're welcome.

Terri

[Alexia444]

Thanks

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

It certainly could be typical for first herpes infection, yes.  Although two weeks is a long time from onset of symptoms to onset of lesions.

Terri

[Alexia444]

I do have a question. My partner had flu-like symptoms for about two weeks and one particular day was intense, with muscle aches, dizziness, but especially muscle aches. These symptoms lasted two weeks and the muscle aches lasted the entire time.Then the bumps were noticed and thus resulted in the culture being taken. Are these symptoms of HSV-2?

[Alexia444]

Thank you. My partner was also told that an antibody test would be accurate in about 12 weeks, so she plans on getting a herpes select test then.

Thanks for your help

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Your results indicate that you have both HSV 1 and HSV 2 infection.  HSV 1 is the most common cause of recurrent cold sores and HSV 2 is the most common cause of recurrent genital herpes.  Your HSV 2 score is in what we call the low positive range, that is between 1.1 and 3.5.  However, your 2.99 is getting pretty close to the top of that range, and I suspect that if we did confirmatory testing, it would be a true positive.  Your HSV 1 is definitely positive.  If your partner had a genital lesion that was cultured, I suspect you may have infected her.  The culture can be falsely negative - the culture test, if that's what it was, is not great.  A newer test called a PCR swab is better.  If she was recently infected, an antibody test would be preliminarily negative, then become positive after some weeks.

Can I answer other questions for you?

Terri