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False Neg Herpes Tests? What are the Chances?
Hi Drs, anxious med student here, your help is much appreciated!
Dec 2006, 3mos into a new sexual relationship, I got a strange pimple-like rash that covered both buttocks, not especially painful. While it was resolving I noticed a small painful bump around the entry to my vagina, followed the next day by painful bumps around my outer labia near the hair follicles. I went to student health and the nurse practitioner said it looked like folliculitis (I do shave). A few months later it recurred, this time just around the outer labia/hair follicles. A diff nurse practitioner took a look and wasn't sure if it was herpes or not. A few months later it recurred again, so I went to a local STD clinic where the doctor there felt fairly certain I had herpes. It seemed that he was basing the diagnosis more on my story than on the appearance of the lesions but I can't be sure. Viral culture came back negative.
On this forum I found out about the type specific blood test and was had the HerpesSelect test by Quest Diag. in Feb 2008 (more than one year after first symptoms). It came back HSV 2 neg (EIA value 0.00). My boyfriend was tested and was also neg (HSV1 0.09 and HSV2 0.02).
Problem is I still have symptoms, but no more bumps, just a pain/tingling/burning in the same place on R inner labia for around two weeks every other month. Saw my OB who said he saw a fissure and inflammation and said maybe it was coxsackie virus?!? But the valacyclovir cream does seem to help! Had the blood test AGAIN (Nov 2008 - 2 years after first sx) and was again neg (HSV1 0.14 and HSV2 0.06).
It seems like herpes but all tests are negative. What are the chances that BOTH my boyfriend and I did not make antibodies after years in (i.e. are false negatives)? Also, what are the chances this is a glycoprotein G deficient virus and so would not be picked up by the HerpeSelect tests or WB? I am single now and so afraid to give this to someone else!
Dec 2006, 3mos into a new sexual relationship, I got a strange pimple-like rash that covered both buttocks, not especially painful. While it was resolving I noticed a small painful bump around the entry to my vagina, followed the next day by painful bumps around my outer labia near the hair follicles. I went to student health and the nurse practitioner said it looked like folliculitis (I do shave). A few months later it recurred, this time just around the outer labia/hair follicles. A diff nurse practitioner took a look and wasn't sure if it was herpes or not. A few months later it recurred again, so I went to a local STD clinic where the doctor there felt fairly certain I had herpes. It seemed that he was basing the diagnosis more on my story than on the appearance of the lesions but I can't be sure. Viral culture came back negative.
On this forum I found out about the type specific blood test and was had the HerpesSelect test by Quest Diag. in Feb 2008 (more than one year after first symptoms). It came back HSV 2 neg (EIA value 0.00). My boyfriend was tested and was also neg (HSV1 0.09 and HSV2 0.02).
Problem is I still have symptoms, but no more bumps, just a pain/tingling/burning in the same place on R inner labia for around two weeks every other month. Saw my OB who said he saw a fissure and inflammation and said maybe it was coxsackie virus?!? But the valacyclovir cream does seem to help! Had the blood test AGAIN (Nov 2008 - 2 years after first sx) and was again neg (HSV1 0.14 and HSV2 0.06).
It seems like herpes but all tests are negative. What are the chances that BOTH my boyfriend and I did not make antibodies after years in (i.e. are false negatives)? Also, what are the chances this is a glycoprotein G deficient virus and so would not be picked up by the HerpeSelect tests or WB? I am single now and so afraid to give this to someone else!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sometimes those of us in the medical field tend to over think things. I think you may be doing this. Her HerpeSelect is an excellent test which detects somewhere int he neighborhood of 97% of herpes infections after 3-6 months of infection. The chance that you and your ex both would be sero-negative are essentially zero. When you add that to the fact that your symptoms really do not sound typical of herpes and that you had negative viral cultures, I would urge you to join me in being confident that you do not have HSV. As for the benefit of the cream (BTW, there is no valacyclovir cream, this may be acyclovir cream), I suspect it is the cram that is soothing, not that it offers any benefit in terms of viral suppression.
The possibility that this could be a gG deficient variant is not possible. gG deficient HSV does not survive at all and would not be expect to cause disease.
This is not herpes. You do not need to worry about giving it to someone else. EWH
The possibility that this could be a gG deficient variant is not possible. gG deficient HSV does not survive at all and would not be expect to cause disease.
This is not herpes. You do not need to worry about giving it to someone else. EWH
Dr. Hook,
Thank you so much. I really appreciate this. I will stop worrying about it now.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate this. I will stop worrying about it now.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
