False Positive

[primevil123]

I was tested in oct for herpes. Quest diagnostics used hsv 1/2 IGG, hepeselect type specific ab and it came back hsv 1 >1.10 EIA value positive and hsv-2 <0.90 negitive. Then my doctor told me to get tested again 3 months later. So I just went last week to a different lab. I went to ACL labs and I got my results back. All the sheet says is Herpes I/II IGG AB test. Both herpes 1 and 2 are positive. Are there IGG tests that aren't type specific. there are no values or any other information. could the results be wrong. I have never had an outbreak or any kind of symptoms so I am a little sketchy on these results. Im really freaking out here.

Also I forgot to add that I have hsv 1 for sure. I have gotten cold sores as long as I can remember. The reason I got tested was because a girl who I had sex with said I gave it to her. she found out because she got meningitis. That was in the begining of aug. that we had sex. I got tested on oct 31st showing negitive for hsv-2. my hsv-1 was 4.94. could the test be positive for the hsv-2 because of the  hsv-1?



Also is it possible to not have any symptoms? I never got and initial outbreak and in a lot of things I've read it seems to be the worst one. Also I haven't been sick or felt below 100% other than a little cold in a long time. no flu or unexplained soreness.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I doubt that this test is a gG-specific assay which is what you need if you wich to pursue this further and confirm your prior test.  Again however, I fail to see why you feel you need another test.  You have one serological test result using a reliable test which is quite compatible with your situation.   EWH

[primevil123]

I Just looked on their website and they didn't say anything about herpeselect. I Looked at http://www.acllaboratories.com/tests-directory/test-data.asp?code=HRP and that is the test I got

[primevil123]

the second test was just positive they gave no values. It didn't say what test they did. it just said they did herpes I/II IGG AB that's it. the first one i got 2 1/2 months after possible exposure was herpes select and I had a hvs1 value of 4.94 and a hsv-2 value of <0.90. I wanted to see the tests myself. It bothers me that when the test came back negitive they said the test might not be accurate but when it came back positive it was the end of discussion.

[gracefromHHP]

According to the acl website they do use the herpes select. You should've gotten seperate numerical results for hsv1 and hsv2 from the test.  

grace

[gracefromHHP]

Do you have the exact numerical results for your test you had done last week or did they really only say negative/positive?

grace

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Not sure why you would want another HerpeSelect, I thin your resutls are OK.  As for the non-specificity of the IgG test, as I said above, there are just a few which are reliable, these, at least are present are the HerpeSelect, the Biokit and the Captia assays.  My guess is that you were tested with a non-specific one (no matter what they claim) and that you high HSV-1 antibodies lead to a false positive HSV-2 result.

EWH

[primevil123]

I know that the IGM test aren't specific/ reliable but can that be true 4 IGG tests. Thank you so much 4 your help.

[primevil123]

do you think that I should go back to the doctor and get a herpes select test again. I didn't know what I was doing the first time around so I didn't specify.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your dilemma is a common one.  Indeed, there are herpes antibody tests which do not reliably differentiate HSV-1 from HSV-2 infection (far too many of them and, unfortunately, they claim that they can differentiate between the two infections, a statement that is incorrect) and if your second test was not a specific test such as the HerpeSelect, this may be the problem.  I would believe the HerpeSelect results you got in October.

Meningitis is fairly common when people get their first herpes infections.  The girl you mention may have been experiencing her first outbreak.  She could get the meningitis (which goes away and does not cause further problems in most patients) from either a first episode of HSV-1 or HSV-2.

Finally, while it is possible to get genital herpes without symptoms (indeed 8 or 9 out of 10 who get HSV-2 infections are aware that they have it), with your negative antibody tests, there is nothing from your post that indicates to me that you have HSV-2.  

Hope this helps.  EWH