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No Symptoms yet tested positive?
I am so confused? I have never had symptoms and I just got a STD Screening (blood test) and now I tested positive for prior exposure for HSV 2. How is that possible? Does that mean that I will never have symptoms? I did have a score of 2.71 for HSV 2. I am not even sure how i got it. Does that mean that I have given it to every partner that i have had since my last screening? Can I never have unprotected sex with my boyfriend? Can I have children? I am so confused!
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I was called yesterday and informed I have both HSV1&2.. I never had any symtoms. No outbreaks nothing. I went in on Monday and have a STD panel done just as well my normal HIV test and I was told this.. I'm so confused!!!
Hi grace
I recently got Herpes Simplex Virus 1+2 Antibody Lanel,igg&igm serum test. When the test result came it was a combined test for both hzv1&2 igg. Level of igg was 2.52 which is in the grey zone, I never had an outbreak I feel fine absilutely. The test that I got done did nit mention HSV 1 score neither HSV 2 score. Can this be a false positive? Should I consider a retest.
Await your reply.
I recently got Herpes Simplex Virus 1+2 Antibody Lanel,igg&igm serum test. When the test result came it was a combined test for both hzv1&2 igg. Level of igg was 2.52 which is in the grey zone, I never had an outbreak I feel fine absilutely. The test that I got done did nit mention HSV 1 score neither HSV 2 score. Can this be a false positive? Should I consider a retest.
Await your reply.
I have been tested on HSV 1&2 Serum Elisa
igg 2.52 positive. I do not have any symptoms and my igm is 0.77. As heard the value more than 3.5 is considered Positive. I am HIV negative... VDRL negative. Is it possible that the result is false positive?
igg 2.52 positive. I do not have any symptoms and my igm is 0.77. As heard the value more than 3.5 is considered Positive. I am HIV negative... VDRL negative. Is it possible that the result is false positive?
I'm sure glad I ran into this site. I also have gone to my general physician and was told that I was positive on both sides.I haven't any symptoms at all. I asked the doctor and she couldn't give me a definite answer and gave me medication to take. She just kept uhmmm and im not sure when I asked questions. I know I;m going to contact my OB/GYN to schedule more accurate testing and to have all of my test redone. Thanks guys
Info I have read stated that if you take the WB test and get a positive, then it is almost a sure thing that it is herpes; however, the WB can give false negatives? Especially since the sample has to be shipped which gives a higher degree of having issues like temperature changes and holding times. Is this correct and if so, then even a negative on this test would be questionable.
Thanks. Ok - just another clarifying question. It has been said that the HSV virus does not live in the blood but in the nerve cells.
First test I had looked for antibodies and my score was 2.71
Second test I had looked for copies of RNA for HSV and there was evidence of anything present.
Both were blood tests and you are all saying that those may not be accurate.
So what does the WB test look for? How is it different since it is another blood test?
Also I tied looking for the test on quest diagnostics website and did not see a WB test for HSV. Only for HIV?
As always thanks for you help!!!!
First test I had looked for antibodies and my score was 2.71
Second test I had looked for copies of RNA for HSV and there was evidence of anything present.
Both were blood tests and you are all saying that those may not be accurate.
So what does the WB test look for? How is it different since it is another blood test?
Also I tied looking for the test on quest diagnostics website and did not see a WB test for HSV. Only for HIV?
As always thanks for you help!!!!
I meant to also say that some people don't match up their symptoms with Herpes sometimes they think it is something else. So you may have had symptoms if it is a true positive and never known. That is why we tell people to get the confirmatory testing. :-)
There is no dumb questions asked here. Ask something to help yourself understand. Quite honestly if you don't know you will fight the results. Once you know (like the PCR of your blood) then you have a better idea. The PCR test would have been helpful if you had a lesision on you and that would have detected the DNA/RNA of the virus.
The Western Blot (WB) is ordered by your doctor. This test is done at the university of washington. IF your provider uses quest labs we can give you the test number to request for it.
The Western Blot (WB) is ordered by your doctor. This test is done at the university of washington. IF your provider uses quest labs we can give you the test number to request for it.
Thank you for the response. Now I am probably going to be asking a dumb question....I'm assuming I need to get a dr to order this test for me?
This is crazy that I have to go through all of this and I don't even have any symptoms!! Thank you again for your time.
This is crazy that I have to go through all of this and I don't even have any symptoms!! Thank you again for your time.
The WB test uses blood, yes. It does not require an active sore/lesion. Swabs (culture or PCR) require an active sore, not WB.
Your doctor probably ordered you a PCR blood test, which is a waste of money. As grace explained, the herpes virus does not live in blood, but hidden in the nerve cells; therefore, even if you do have herpes you might not track its DNA in your blood. Makes sense? The reliable blood tests look for antibodies, not the virus itself. The swabs look for the virus, but as I said above they require an active sore.
Geting a WB as a confirmatory test is the best way to go. It can be done through Quest labs.
Your doctor probably ordered you a PCR blood test, which is a waste of money. As grace explained, the herpes virus does not live in blood, but hidden in the nerve cells; therefore, even if you do have herpes you might not track its DNA in your blood. Makes sense? The reliable blood tests look for antibodies, not the virus itself. The swabs look for the virus, but as I said above they require an active sore.
Geting a WB as a confirmatory test is the best way to go. It can be done through Quest labs.
Does WB ( I am assumming this is Western Blot) use blood or do you have to have a sore to get tissue ( that seems to be what it is when I looked it up)? As I have said I have no symptoms and my boyfriend has no symptoms and we have been together for 5 mos. So the test that I got maynotbe correct? I feel like if they can't find the DNA of the virus it seems pretty clear to me that I don't have it? Thank you very much for your answer!!!!
You should look into getting a WB to confirm your status. HSV isn't like HIV which we would find in the blood itself. HSV isn't blood bourne. The only thing you can look for to determine if HSV is present is the antibodies. The WB is considered the gold standard for HSV testing.
It probably was a herpes pcr test which is useless for blood testing to determine if you are infected or not :( I think your provider really has little idea about the testing they are ordering :(
I am not sure the name of it but she said she checked for RNA for both HSV 1 & 2. And I have neither present?
did you have a herpes pcr blood test?
yes of course you only showed antibodies to herpes in the blood testing we do, herpes isn't a blood borne virus so we can't look for actual virus in the blood, we test for the antibodies produced in reaction to being infected with herpes.
yes of course you only showed antibodies to herpes in the blood testing we do, herpes isn't a blood borne virus so we can't look for actual virus in the blood, we test for the antibodies produced in reaction to being infected with herpes.
Grace - I just wanted to let you know that I did get another test that looks for copies of the RNA for HSV and it came back that I do not have HSV at all!!!!! I am so happy. I went to my general dr for the test since my gyn wasn't receptive to the test and she told me that the first test I got does Not show that that I have the actual virus. Only that I showed antibodies.
Thank you the suggestion!! I am very grateful!!!!!!
Thank you the suggestion!! I am very grateful!!!!!!
yes, a herpes WB would be a good blood test to get to confirm your status.
encourage your provider to read the 2010 cdc herpes guidelines to update their knowledge on herpes testing and the low positive issues.
encourage your provider to read the 2010 cdc herpes guidelines to update their knowledge on herpes testing and the low positive issues.
Thank you grace - my boyfriend was tested and he does not have it. What further tests should I ask for? Western blot? Is that something I through my dr for? My dr told me anything above a 0.9 is a definite positive? I really appreciate your help!!!
A hsv2 igg of 2.71 is positive but it considered a low positive. You will need further confirmatory testing to know if it's a true positive or not. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/low-positives---confirmatory-results/show/1097724#post_5968138 is a prior post on this topic for more reading.
has your current partner been tested yet to know his own status?
grace
has your current partner been tested yet to know his 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.
The WB for herpes looks at more ( and different ) parts of the igg response to being infected with herpes simplex. the herpes Wb on quest is a send out and is test #34534. It is sometimes hard for your local quest to find the proper test since it's a send out but it's there and available. Some states will not allow it to be drawn either . At this point, why not call the U of washington and they'll send you the kit. They also sometimes can arrange for the blood test to be done at your local quest lab too so it's well worth the call. http://depts.washington.edu/rspvirus/herpes.htm is their website.
I'd also be sure to contact your provider who ordered the herpes pcr blood testing and make a complaint! They wasted a lot of your money on that test and if you hadn't posted here to get better answers, you would've walked around thinking you didn't have herpes when you don't know that for sure yet or not!