Understanding HerpeSelect Results

[DKG]

I recently had the HerpeSelect test and I just needed help interpreting these results.

HSV 1 IgG : 0.55
HSV 2 IgG : 0.23

Reference Range: <0.90
Unit: Index

I have had no visible physical symptoms of any STD upto this point in my life, including today (33, straight and single male) and did a comprehensive STD test along with my physical just because I wanted to give myself a clean bill of health. This was my first ever STD test, and everything else they tested, HIV, GC/Chlam, RPR and Hep B came back negative.

I am monogamous and have been sexually active with the same woman for nearly 2 years in a long distance relationship, but someone I consider very low risk.  My most recent sexual contact with her was 4 weeks ago.

Questions-
1. Are these test numbers cause for concern, i.e does the test confirm that I have Herpes or that I have merely been exposed to it? Since both readings are below 0.90 which is supposedly considered Negative per the report.

2. What can I expect if I get myself retested in 4-6 weeks, is it likely that these numbers will increase, decrease or stay the same? And if the second test turns up Negative as well, can I then be sure that I don't have Herpes?

3. And from looking at these test results, is there a way to tell that I could have come into contact with HSV several years ago even though I've never shown any symptoms, or are these numbers more indicative of my recent sexual contact about a month ago?

4. And a final theoretical question just for my curiousity, a person who is a virgin, has never even kissed and never been sexually active in any form, how would their HerpeSelect Test result look like? Would it be Negative or they would not even register a result?

Thanks.

[DKG]

Thank you Doctor, I really appreciate your response. This is exactly the clarification and information I was looking for.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

On reflection, reading between the lines of dkg's question, perhaps he assumed that a truly negative result should read zero, and therefore was uncertain about any numerical value at all, even below 0.90.

It just reflects the technology of the test.  Any number below 0.90 means there is no antibody to HSV.  People with results of, say, 0.2, 0.5, or 0.85 all are equally negative, with no antibody to HSV.  Likewise, a person with a result of 6.0 is no more positive (and no more infected) than someone with a result of 4.0.

HHH, MD

[Katherine364]

I know I'm not the doctor, but those results are both well within the negative range.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

"Reference range <.90" means any results lower than 0.9 are negative.  You have never been infected with either HSV-1 or HSV-2.  Whether or not you ever "came into contact with HSV" (i.e., exposed to an infected person), the infection was never transmitte to you.  There is no need to re-test, unless you have reason to believe your partner is infected.

Question 4:  Such a person's HerpeSelect result would look exactly like yours.

Best wishes--   HHH, MD