The western blot is quite a bit more sensitive for HSV 1 than is the IgG antibody test that you had done. Yes, I believe that you probably had the HSV 1 infection prior to the possible exposure. The western blot is not a good screening test (much better confirmatory test) because it takes a while to become positive, longer than the IgG traditional antibody test routinely used.
Terri
Could you interpret these for me Terri?
in summary:
culture taken of possible lesion : negative
pcr dna swab test of possible lesion (was newly a scab by time of swab): negative
igg blood test above from blood taken 1/3/12, 12 days after last possible exposure: negative for both hsv1 and 2
western blot UW test from blood taken 1/3/12, 12 days after last possible exposure: positive for hsv1, negative for hsv2.
what do you think?
If we trust the westen blot test, does that mean i probably had hsv1 before the 12/22/11 exposure? thanks Terri...
These are all negative values.
Terri
I am definitely one of those patients that tests too much, but I wanted to not count on just one test to set the beginning levels....In addition to the test above, I just got back a blood test from blood collected 1/3/12 (12 days after possible exposure):
results:
HSV 1/2 IGG, HERPESELECT QDB
TYPE SPECIFIC AB
HSV 1 IGG TYPE SPECIFIC
AB 0.31
HSV 2 IGG TYPE SPECIFIC
AB 0.23
I did also have a western blot sent out yesterday to try and be as sure as possible of my status before this exposure...
thank you Terri, I just called the lab an they said "no, the results were both LESS THAN 0.91, not both exactly 0.91". I must have heard them wrong yesterday.
First, are you sure you are reading the results correctly? The reference ranges are normally stated on the test results, could you be reading those? The chances that you would have a value of exactly 0.91 on both tests is incredibly small (but possible, I suppose).
The test that you had done is not as sensitive for HSV 1 as it is for HSV 2. One possibility is that you contracted HSV 1 genitally previously, and it hasn't shown up in your testing. The symptoms that you had made well be a recurrence rather than a first infection.
The lesion may also not be herpes, but the presentation of the lesion is very suspicious. Since you waited until the end of the outbreak to have the swab testing done, you may not be able to rely upon the results.
If you were my patient, and the PCR is negative, I would recommend that you wait 3-4 months from the lesion presentation and have a western blot test done that is more sensitive for HSV 1 than the ELISA antibody test that you already had done. Also, please review the results to be certain you are interpreting them correctly.
Terri
last thing-- everything seems to be pointing to herpes, but how could it be that i was with a girl from oct 2010 to dec 2011 who would get cold sores once every 6 weeks (she did not give me oral sex when there was any evidence of a cold sore), but i never got a cold sore on my lip or a lesion on my penis from her... then i receive oral sex from one person one time in dec 2011 and now there is a lesion.... i did not notice any visible cold sores on the girl two weeks ago...
should add that i am concerned about the exposure because 4 days afterward i had bad flu symptoms for 5 days, but also 5 days after exposure a lesion appeared that was underneath the head of my penis and has gone through the stages of ulcer, crust, scab, and now 12 days after is almost healed. today i submitted a swab of the scab for pcr testing. i have never had a cold sore in my life.