hsv 2 igg negative, igm positive

[meibijoux]

Hello doctor, please help me with these test result that really confused me. i've just doing labor via c-section last week cos i was diagnosed having a POSITIVE HSV IGM 2.

on 15 August 2011 my test result was :
- Anti HSV 2 IGG = NEGATIVE INDEX 0.24  
- Anti HSV 2 IGM = POSITIVE INDEX 1.60

Then i did a second test on 20 August 2011 cos i thought there was a misdiagnosed lab test, and the result was :
- Anti HSV 2 IGG = STILL NEGATIVE INDEX 0.08
- Anti HSV 2 IGM = POSITIVE INDEX 1.73

*NOTE : {NON REACTIVE ,0.80} {GRAYZONE 0.80 - 1.10}

Then when after i gave birth via c-section, doctor also give a test on MY BABY and the test result was
- Anti HSV 2 IGG = POSITIVE INDEX 1.3
- Anti HSV 2 IGM = NEGATIVE INDEX 0.12

what i would like to ask is that :
1) Am I really infected with herpes? cos i dont feel any symptoms or itchiness around my vaginal area. And i just gave birth last year to my first son and i have checked all and both igg and igm are negative, i just recently had this IGM Positive with negative igg. And for your information doctor, I DIDNT DO ANY SEXUAL INTERCOURSE (BOTH ORAL AND SEX) WITH MY HUSBAND DURING THESE PREGNANCY. and i didnt do any affair too. So what confused me is that i read from all the articles about HSV 2 that it could only get transmitted by oral sex or sex.

2) My baby has the antibody for the hsv 2 igg already. is there any possibilities that it could turn out to positive igm?

3) Does this mean i have to ask my husband to wear condom for the rest of our life?

Please help me doctor, i get so confused with the test result. thanks.

[acr007]

I have had hsv 1 for a long time. I just recently got tested for herpes. My igm blood test was not type specific but came back positive at 1.20. My Igg came back negative for hsv 2.They didn't check for hsv1 because I already have it. Does this mean that I have recently acquired type 2? Why would my igm be high with an old hsv 1 infection? And if my Igm is high but my igg is negative for type two does this mean I could have recently acquired  type 2 infection? Should I get retested for type 2? Thank you

[meibijoux]

Grace, ure not answering my questions. im here like other people who wants to know how accurate is the non specific test vs specific test. pls let me know. im dying to know i have HSV 1,bcos my hsv 1 igg is positive. i dont want have either of this types. these disease is really make one person's life not in peace for the rest of their lives. so pleasee help me

since all my test for HSV 1 is below than 3.5 and i have never had any outbreaks such as cold sore or fever blisters before, can i assume this test is false positive ? especially when i took the test in the last 2 weeks before i give labor and these test that is a NON-SPECIFIC IGG test ( igm involved too)
*HSV 1 IgG : 2.6
*HSV 1 IgM : .29

*HSV 2 IgG: .05
*HSV 2 IgM: 1.57

- and saying if i really have HSV 1 .. could it be my igg will increase to be greater than 3.5 and will increase more in the future? or the number just really no meaning at all? or

- and is my hsv 2 igm positive because i really had hsv 1? and that low positive result means that i recently infected?

[gracefromHHP]

really nothing else I can tell you that I haven't already told you.

breast feeding your child is the best thing you can do for them. you won't transmit your herpes to a child through breast feeding.

[meibijoux]

and grace one more additional question. How accurate is non specific test for igg compare to specific igg test? This herpes case is really confusing. :( and really caused me alot of nightmare, i did an unnecessarily c-section bcos of the HSV 2 igm test, i dont dare to kiss my babies, i dont even breastfeed my baby cos of im afraid it would transmit to my baby. thats why i need to find the answer to educate me better in the future. thank you.

[meibijoux]

Hi grace, im sorry if i bother u with my question. but i really afraid i could transmit my HSV 1 to my baby or my husband through saliva or sharing foods/drinks. they said there's a chance of transmission even when u have no outbreak. is it true? so how can i make sure that i really have HSV 1 since my result is below 3.5?

i really need to get a peace of mind. because these things really bothering me, i cant sleep and eat,not even dare to touch my baby. besides,so many doctors specialist in std doesn't understand and never heard that igm test is a flawed test in my country.

i read so many threads that said they got positive results with a number greater than 4.

- since all my test for HSV 1 is below than 3.5 and i have never had any outbreaks such as cold sore or fever blisters before, can i assume this test is false positive ? especially when i took the test in the last 2 weeks before i give labor and these test that is a NON-SPECIFIC IGG test ( igm involved too)
*HSV 1 IgG : 2.6
*HSV 1 IgM : .29

*HSV 2 IgG: .05
*HSV 2 IgM: 1.57

- and saying if i really have HSV 1 .. could it be my igg will increase to be greater than 3.5 and will increase more in the future? or the number just really no meaning at all? or

- and is my hsv 2 igm positive because i really had hsv 1? and that low positive result means that i recently infected?

i just want to make sure if i really have it or not, i don't want make any assumptions because no symptoms but getting the positive result (esp low positive) could really drive people crazy. especially when u know ur husband doesn't have it. i don't even dare to get kissing with him. he has been with me for about 12 years

im so sorry to bother u with my question, grace. but i believe u're an expert. thank you so much for ur attention. btw, im going to singapore nx week to have the blood test again for the specific igg test.i will update u with my next result ok. cheers.

[gracefromHHP]

http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_oralherpes.cfm  has terrific info on oral herpes for more reading.

[meibijoux]

thank you so much grace... but if i really have hsv 1. how to prevent the transmission to my hubby? if i dont get any obvious cold sore, can i still kiss or give him oral? or i cant kiss him or share drink with anyone for the rest of my life?

[gracefromHHP]

There really isn't anything else I can add that I haven't said already about your results or your situation to be honest.

[meibijoux]

Hi grace,

sorry to trouble you. i wanna ask you what's the difference between non specific test (both igg and igm) and specific igg?

in my case my last result was :
- HSV 1 IgG : 2.6
- HSV 1 IgM : .29

- HSV 2 IgG: .05
- HSV 2 IgM: 1.57

What confused me is... if this igm test was not reliable, then is there any possibility that specific igg test would show that both of my igg HSV 1 and 2 are negative? or is that mean i really have + HSV 1 and i have to believe the igg in that non specific test and just ignore the igm?

i believe i don't have any cold sores before, sometimes if i not accidentally bite my dry lips. it makes a small bump..but not containing any fluid or anything,and healed in just an hour.. is this hsv 1?

and for a 10 year relationship and almost 2 years of marriage with the only partner i had since i was a teenager.. isnt it supposed that i already transmit it to him? but my hubby's result for both of hsv 1 and 2 are negative.

please help me grace.. u know all the doctor in my country not very expert in this things. and i couldn't find any forum that explain what's the difference between specific and non specific test.  thanks

[gracefromHHP]

the U of washington does the WB - it's the only lab in the US that does it.

some folks will always test + on the igm which is why we don't recommend its use.

[meibijoux]

Hi grace, what i wanna ask is that

how can someone know when he/she firstly contracted with HSV if we dont see the IGM? or how can we know when the virus is reactive especially when you're pregnant if you ignore the igm?

and why my test in 3 different labs are all positive in their igm, and my HSV 1 is low positive in igg? and if i had that antibody on igg i still could transmit it to my hubby right? but the thing is he also negative in his HSV 1. so im wondering could it be a false positive in hSV 1 too as well? i never had cold sores before.

and can you recommend any other clinic lab that provide a wb test in seattle? thanks

[gracefromHHP]

we don't think the false positive issues are as much of an issue with hsv1 as hsv2.  due to the difficulties confirming hsv1 status, we don't often recommend confirmatory testing.

you can't figure out easily when you contracted hsv1. Many of us contract it when we are small children.

absolutely no reason to think your hsv2 igg will be positive. no reason to even continue testing for it. your partner is negative. you have had sex in a long time. there is no way it's a recent infection for you!!

[meibijoux]

Dear grace, i would like to thank you so much for troubling u with my million questions about HSV. But i really glad this forum makes me have so much information and knowledge about HSV.

btw, my hubby get tested already and the result is both igg and igm for HSV 1 and 2 are negative. Thats good for him cos i would feel guilty if i know he was contracted from me.

The questions that i wanna ask is i read from http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Herpes-Test-Results-Clarification/show/929402 that any results which is (over 1.1) but under 3.5 are false. is that true? is that any possibility that my HSV 1 is a false positive results too? cos the results are all above 3.5 and it doesnt increase!???

and how can someone know when he/she firstly contracted with HSV if we dont see the IGM? or how can we know when the virus is reactive especially when you're pregnant if you ignore the igm?

and for my case who never had sex in 9 months.. my HSV 2 igm is positive but igg is negative.. could it be a real false positive? im scared the next time i checked it would turn out to be positive igg. its kind of a big question mark where can i get it while my hubby test was all negative for both HSV 1 and 2.

thank you so much and sorry for troubling you! do u think i should get test with western blot? cos im thinking to go over to USA and get WB test. thanks grace for ur help. i really appreciate it. :)

[gracefromHHP]

hsv1 can never, ever turn into hsv2. they are 2 totally different infections.

the changes in your hsv1 igg results aren't really meaingful - they are all still positives.

nothing else I can add that I haven't already said. your providers need to better educate themselves on herpes and testing!

[meibijoux]

oh and my last test result for hsv 2 is : igg negative 0.05. igm positive : 1.57. thank you so much please help me thanks.

[meibijoux]

Hi grace, im so curious about my test blood so i get it retested. and the result still the same. i have positive in igm but negative in igg. i get tested with elisa. that means, i have a total 3 result in three different labs that shows im positive HSV 2 with positive igg for HSV1. and my HSV 1 is positive in igg, and negative in igm. but here's the condition:
- my HSV 1 IGG the result is up and down, and thats confusing. the first test was 3.6, the second was 1.45 and the last test is 2.6.

the question is:
- does it means im really infected by HSV 1? and isnt it if i really infected should it be keep increasing but not just up and down like that? i dont have any cold sores before also. or any symptoms that i have HSV 1.

- and is it possible that i pass my HSV 1 to my genital area and its becoming HSV 2 by bad hygiene?

- when should i get retest? cos as u know im so confused where i get these from.. i didn't have any sexual intercourse with my hubby for the last 9 months. and from the first trimester of my pregnancy my HSV 1 IGM is positive. and now it becomes igg already while i didnt even have intimate kissing with my hubby. please help mee

i really wanted to get western blot test but i live in Indonesia. can u give me any opinion about my test result and the best suggestion or conclusion? im sorry if my english not really well. thank you so much.

[gracefromHHP]

no he would not be infected with hsv2 without you being infected.

his hsv2 igg is a false positive and should've never been drawn on him in the first place.

[meibijoux]

but is it possible if he still can build antibody for himself whilst my igg still negative? and does it mean he is infected with those virus already? and sometimes can attack himself too ?

[gracefromHHP]

most adults do have hsv1. most of them don't get obvious cold sores to know it.

yes babies get protective antibodies from us before they are born.

[meibijoux]

My doctor said probably i get it from HSV 1. My HSV 1 igg is positive,and my igm is negative. The thing is they said the baby get the antibody from the mother when he still inside my womb. is it true?

i never experience any cold sore too around my mouth. Im wondering where i get it from. can u please help me? thanks

[gracefromHHP]

it's a false positive on his igg. he's too young to have developed igg antibodies yet even if he had contracted herpes from you. You don't have hsv2 so it's also impossible for him to have contracted hsv2. make sense?

I wouldn't even bother repeating your testing - you've been consistently negative.

it's really unfortunate your providers are so unknowledgeable about herpes testing :(  

[meibijoux]

Hi grace thanks for your help. Sorry i dont really know how to post the forum here. Your opinion is really relieving.. but then what i get so confused is why my baby positive in his igg. I didnt do sex during my pregnancy at all (in about 9 months). Hubby havent test for herpes. but he doesnt have any symptoms too.

same condition also apply to me. my doctor has checked all my genital area before i give birth and doctor found nothing in my genital area. and until now i dont feel any itchiness or burning sensation or even blisters around my genital area. my doctor says the baby igg positive cos he got it from me while my igg is negative.  its really confusing right. i decided to take another test in 3 weeks time. what i wanted to ask is what method i have to used to get the exact test result? thank you so much for ur time and opinion

[gracefromHHP]

you tried to post in someone's post that isn't yours on terri warren's forum. you have to pay to post there in your own post so it won't get answered there.

the herpes igm test is a very flawed test and a + result on it is meaningless. since you hadn't had sex within a few months of getting tested, obviously a + igm was falsely positive. It's unfortunate that you had a c section needlessly :(   did you have genital symptoms that they tested you near the end of pregnancy?

was hubby tested for herpes to know his status?

the blood tests we have aren't accurate in newborns. the igm test is acceptable in a newborn but we rely more so on swabs of body parts and fluids than we do blood testing.

since you are outside of the  US, I'm really limited in how to help you but the basic info I just posted is applicable regardless of what actual brand of test you had done.

grace