low positives - confirmatory results

[gracefromHHP]

If you were tested with a type specific herpes igg blood test and had a low positive result for hsv2 ( anything under 4.0 ) and sought out confirmatory testing, what were your eventual results?

[gracefromHHP]

Thanks for your participation in this poll :)  Hoping to be able to refer future posters to this so that they understand that it is well worth further testing!

grace

[MBwantstoknow]

The first test taken was a blood test it was positive and the dr said sometimes those tests say positive since in most people the herpes virus is present ((cold sores etc)) so he did a viral swab and the results were negative

[gracefromHHP]

if that's all the testing you've had done, you need to get a confirmatory blood test done. I encourage you to start a post of your own if you haven't already and we'll go into all of this in more details together. If you can get the results of your blood test to post there, even better!

grace

[gracefromHHP]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Confusing-Igg-Test-Results/show/771141  is a terrific prior post by HHH that explains better why confirming low positive results is important for more reading.

grace

[antstew0369]

Wow, thanks so much for posting this! I was positive HSV-1 by 5.00 and positive by HSV-2 by 3.9 I had the IGG type specific tests done! I was at quite a loss considering I hadn't had any symptoms other than orally. I sought out the Western Blot and it confirmed my HSV-1 but I was HSV-2 negative! I really suggest everyone gets the Western Blot it could make a difference how you spend the rest of your life!

[sosad310]

Hi!  My HSV-1 was 1.12........and my HSV-2 was a 5.  But this is after 7 plus mos exposure.  I had two prior HSV 1 & 2 IgG tests (at two months...obviously too early to detect antibodies) and then one at 5 months!  At 5 mos I remained negative for both , which I found very very confusiing being I had positive genital HSV-1 swab two months post exposure (reason for blood tests to see if new old infection).  I know a 5 isn't considered low on scale ...I believe they were saying less than 3.5.....but I'm really upset being I've been having sex w/ boyfriend w/ HSV-1 oral (same strain I thought I acquired) w/o condoms. He has shown no signs of infection...but we haven't redone his blood since mine turned positive.  He's not super upset.  But I am because now I'm panicking and constantly feeling prodromal symptoms.  Should I get western blot??  Did I acquire both strains down below and did they perhaps only culture the hsv 1 lesion?  I'm at a loss....I mean I know that is rare..but it can happen.  And I thought a positive swab was usually 100% accurate.  And is there something wrong w/ my immune system if it took 7 mos to show up.......or did valtrex, which I've been taking since culture swab obtained, somehow hide my antibodies or slow down antibody formation??

[foofan]

i think valtrex does scew the result im not positive but i believe ive read that before.

[justjazzy]

i want to test again so badly.

[Verysaddude]

Good post!

[Verysaddude]

Hello Grace, can you keep this poll at the top for a while longer so we can get more results on this? This is a great poll, especially for those who have questions about getting a second test...

[gracefromHHP]

They took it off "sticky".  we can just periodically keep bumping it up to the top though.



grace

[crossing_the_bridge]

missed this poll the first time around, and now i don't see a way to vote.
also, my results were outside the "false positive" range - but, i just didn't believe them.

summary:
mar '08:
captia - 5.84
herpeselect - "positive"  (probably a low positive, but no way to tell)

mar '09:
captia - negative
herpeselect - 1.14
biokit - negative

[gracefromHHP]

http://biosearch.berkeley.edu/image.php?img=images%2Fopensearch%2Fartid%3D1276011%26blobname%3D1471-2334-5-84-1.jpg&pmid=16225691&fig=1



this graph is also a good resource to show you just how likely a false positive is by range.

I always encourage anyone with a hsv2 igg under 5 who's never had any obvious symptoms that they are aware of to confirm their status with additional testing to err on the side of caution.

grace

[Verysaddude]

That link appears to be broke Grace..and what do you consider "obvious symptoms"

[gracefromHHP]

try the link again.  just worked for me again. http://tiny.cc/1noax  see if that tiny link is easier to cut and paste.

obvious symptoms would be blisters/rash that a provider thought might be due to herpes. Always better to err on the side of caution and confirm with a 2nd test.  

grace

[SoAfraidNow]

This gives me so much hope of false positive with hsv2 3.58 herepeselect igg and no noticeable symptoms and 4 plus months since possible exposure!  I'm awaiting my WB kit!  That poll was amazing. I'd love to be able to know the results of the balance of 28% 6ppl waiting to test more.  From the pattern seems as though two thirds of them may be negative.

Grace thank you for this post and your continued help.  You deliver peace of mind and that's priceless!!

Be well

[grateful84]

I tested HSV-2 Positive (1.4) and HSV-1 Negative. A couple of weeks later I had a BioKit test done and it was NEGATIVE!  

If anyone's interested, here's the link to my whole story: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Thank-you-Low-Positive-HSV-2-Confirmed-False/show/1350885#post_6169667

Keep hope alive!

[msmith1979]

4 Weeks: IgG: 2.05
12 Weeks: IgG: 2.23
16 Weeks: WB indeterminate - low level of HSV2 antibody detected
28 Weeks (6 and a half months) WB negative - no evidence of HSV1 or HSV2 antibody detected

[gracefromHHP]

congrats on finally getting the answers you needed!!!  

thanks for posting to this post for others to see :)

grace

[mgltexas]

Received confirmation of a negative result after an initial false positive of 1.6 for hsv 2

Negative by biokit and WB

Full info here

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1360895?page=2

[Jmonkey7890]

I see you found the pole you were talking about lol... This helps alot!

[gracefromHHP]

no this wasn't the poll I was previously referring too.

started a new igm and follow up test poll for the forum that I can easily find.

grace

[yeppers1984]

Hi there I saw this and thought I would post my false positive.  It has been quite a while now but my original tests where negative for HSV-1 and 1.25 for HSV-2.  I was convinced by my doctors that the tests were 100% correct and they would not allow the test to be done over.  After that I became very paranoid every sting pain anything going on in my body I related it to symptoms.  But after a while I never saw anything downstairs.  It has been a handful of years after the initial test and I started doing more research on it after having a freind's bf who had a similar experience.  That is where I found this site and was amazed at how common they are below a certain level and decided to get tested again elsewhere and both IGG HSV-1 and HSV-2 where both negative.  It was extremely disheartening knowing how long I lived for going through therapy for anxiety, rejection from some girls and all the other mental things that go along with it for nothing.  But I was also extremely happy and beside myself at the same time  

[preza]

I have not checked out the site for some time, but wanted to add my experience to this thread.  I tested positive by HerpeSelect at 1.5 for type 2.  Negative for HSV 1.  This was 6 weeks after my last exposure.  I had tested negative for both during the relationship, and that test was done at my yearly checkup, which was about a month before my last exposure.  I waited until the 16 week mark after last exposure and drove 4 hrs to get a Biokit test done, which was negative.  I had to ask the lady twice to make sure I heard the results correctly.

I have never had a bump, sore, etc. since my last exposure, so I feel very secure that 1.5 was a false positive after waiting those weeks and getting the Biokit test.  Had it not been for this site I would never have gotten the followup Biokit test.  A lot of doctors roll their eyes when you mention that you have been reading info on the web, but the fact is that you have to watch your own back.  I was told my 1.5 was a sure thing by two doctors.  

Has any major news source--tv or magazine--ever done a story on this?  People need to be educated on the need for retesting in case it is another of these false positive results some of us share.  Surely some health magazine has run a story at some point???