Sorry to Re Post

[Steve8511]

Both,

Apologies for creating a repost only i read one of Dr Hook's responses from 2008 and queried it against my response from Dr Handsfield in one of my most recent posts and became slightly curious.

In the link below Dr Hook i believe is stating that if you recieve a + or - result only with no numerical figure then the result tends to be unreliable. As you can see in my post recent post to Dr Handsfield i did not recieve an index value and just got told the Elisa test was negative.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/testing-test-results/show/662793

I just wanted to make sure as i had concerns over whether i had one of the common Herpeselect tests and the nurse could not reassure me, only state it was an Elisa accurrate test. Dr Handsfield stated this is irrelevant, a negative anti-body test is a negative test, regardless of what brand providing it is an IgG test.

Did Dr Hook mean in this post that obviously if you recieve only a + in your result then that tends to be unreliable, as you cannot judge index value? Sorry to re post, i'm not trying to be smart only i need to clear it up. Only as read in numerous posts,some labs don't offer out the index value routinely?
many thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

"I was under the impression that a negative result is a negative result regardless of whether it was an old test or new test as you have previously stated."  Correct.

Therefore, your worry about whether you had the right test is irrelevant.  However you did have the correct test; a non-type specific test would not report separate HSV-1 and 2 results.  

That's all for this thread.  Move on.  Any more anxiety driven comments will result in immediate deletion of the entire thread.

[Steve8511]

I was under the impression that a negative result is a negative result regardless of whether it was an old test or new test as you have previously stated.

My results were

Hsv 1 igG not detected
Hsv 2 igG not detected

And the nurse said it was an accurrate Elisa test.

However how do i know it was not an older incorrectly ordered test by the lab? If they used a non specific type test would that have made a difference? Less sensitivity for example?

Thanks for all your help on this

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I'm pretty sure Dr. Hook had the older, non-type specific tests in mind when he made that comment.  These are inherently less reliable and typically do not give numerical results. However the type specific tests I mentioned above also do not have numerical results.  

You are much too obscessed with your blood test results.  They are only part of the picture.  Based on all the information in all your threads -- symptom, exposure history, and the test results -- it is absolutely clear you don't have herpes.  Do your best to accept the reasoned, science base advice you have had repeatedly from several experts.  Do not have any more HSV tests, stop all online research on the topic, do not mention herpes to future sex partners, and move in with your life.

[Steve8511]

Quote dr hook  -

"It looks as though some of the tests you had were not HerpeSelect tests. I say this because there are no numbers given.  The tests whose results are reported out as positve or negative or as ratios tend to be unreliable.

The test to believe are your most recent ones (4th tests).  these are HerpeSelect tests which indicate that you do not have HSV or any sort.  

Personally, I see little to be gained by repeat testing.   EWH "

Would you be able to explain?

[Steve8511]

Thank you

My main point i wanted explaining however was what dr hook meant in the link i sent where he stated tests with no numerical value reporting on - or + tend to be unreliable? Have i taken his comments out of context? I'm just trying to make out what he meant?

I know i dont need a value but unsure why he has said if you recieve a "-" only in the result then the test tends to be unreliable?

Any reply would be greatly appreicated

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The index value is meaningless in interpreting a negative result.  If the positive-negative the cut-off is 0.9 (as for the HerpeSelect ELISA test) and three test values are, say 0.3, 0.5, and 0.8, all three results are totally negative.

For test results above the cut-off, the test value may be meaningful.  An HSV-2 value of 3.5 or higher is definitely positive; values of 0.9-1.1 are considered equivocal and require repeat testing to confirm the result as positive or negative.  There is controversy about values from 1.1 to 3.5.  The higher the value, within that range, the more likely the result is truly positive.

There are some tests, such as the HerpeSelect immunoblot and the BiokitUSA rapid test, that do not have numerical results -- just positive or negative.

It is time for you to move on without worry about herpes.  I'll also point out the MedHelp rules against repetetive, anxiety-driven questions, and the maximum number of questions on the professionally moderated forums (2 questions every 6 months, tops).

Regards--  HHH, MD