equivocal test hsv 2 igg 1.03

[faris_s_87]

I experienced pain when ejaculating and urinating, so the doctor without testing me prescribed doxycycline i took it for 9 days it was supposed to be 10 and the 9th day i wanted to get tested for STDs everything came back negative expect for type HSV type 2 it came back equivocal igg 1.03 the doctor told me chance are you're don't have it get tested again in six weeks. i also thought it could be yeast infection because the last girl i had sex with was suffering from the yeast infection symptoms (cottage cheese like discharge). I did the home test spitting in water and it came back that i have yeast infection but i dont i decided to go see a urologist he diagnosed me with prostatitis and gave me cipro which i got an allergic reaction to and then gave me bacrtim which im on my 7 day now i forgot to mention the urologist took a urine sample and it came back that i have no infection in the urine. i have always had sex with a condom except for oral sex. which has been with a girl that i dont think is faithful but i started havin intercourse with her augest last year. my question
1- what does equivocal testing for igg mean?
2- what can raise igg antibodies other than herpes?
3- could it be the i had a UTI but the doxy cleared it up by the time i went to the urologist which i saw a week after i heard about the results?
4- i feel itching around my inner thighs and testicals and anus is that a symptom of herpes or is that a reaction to stress or bactrim or a symptom of prostatitis.
5-does an equivocal hsv 2 igg 1.03 mean a new infection
6- i have no symptoms for lesons can i have this rash without an outbreak
7- how long should i wait before getting retested

[faris_s_87]

My 3 months test results came back negative for hsv 2 but positive for hsv1(2.09) what does this mean? Seeing that i had odd symptoms down there in the past what are the chances of me having genital hsv 1 ?and also if it is oral hsv 1 that i recived from when i was a kid why did i test negative and then positive?

This is going to be my last question i promise

Thank you for your time

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

None of this sounds like herpes and therefore does not change my opinion or advice.  I continue to believe you don't have herpes and I expect your 3 month blood test to be negative. I'll be happy to comment one last time if you want to return to tell me that test result.

There is no need to "apologize" for not believing my reassurance.  But if you still cannot shake the conviction you have herpes when you receive the negative 3 month test result, counseling may be in order.  It isn't normal to be so resistant to common sense, reason, and scientific evidence.

[faris_s_87]

Dr. Handsfield you've been of much help and i do appreciate the time and effort you took to respond to my questions. I'm praying to god that i don't have HSV2 but being paranoid is part of my nature. I understand you bilieve i don't have hsv2 but i decided since you said it takes 3-4 months for anti bodies to build up i would get retested after i reach almost 3months if my math is right hopefully. which is the end of this month . I've been investigating my pines and i noticed that it looks different it seems like there is a scar on it and a really small zit that looks like it could've been there and popped and also there is this small pimple that appeared in the anus area same place as the previous one but its small and it doesn't have liquid in it and it hurts a little bit only when touched which appeared yesterday. In my previous posts i forgot to mention that i used to get pimples in the pubic hair area which i would pop and blood an white stuff comes out i didn't mention it because i always assumed herpes comes in clusters. Does that change your opinion or is it non related/not considered HSV2 symptoms? the end of this month is roughly three months from last sexual encounter, how conclusive would this test be? i've been having sexual intercourse with this girl from augest last year and the negative result makes me feel good that i didn't get it from her earlier but what are the chances i got it the last couple of encounters with her(which would be 3 months from now) ?

ps: i apologize for the in depth details and maybe unpleasant details but i just can seem to get this out of my mind and i also apologize for not stop worrying and believing that i don't have HSV2 but i just can't help it.

thank you so much in advanced and look forward to hearing your opinion on this  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

It takes up to 3-4 months for HSV antibodies to develop.  But you still can stop worrying.  The chance of catching HSV-2 from a single heterosexual encounter, with a partner not known to have it, is only 1 in several thousand.  And your symptoms didn't suggest herpes either. Combining the exposure, lack of herpes symptoms, and negative blood tests -- even at a month -- there is simply no realistic chance you caught herpes.  You can let it go and stop worrying.

[faris_s_87]

i went to my doctor and he suggested that i get tested again and thankfully the results came back negative for both types using the igg method , this is my last question , the last sexual encounter i had was a month before getting tested(with the same girl that i've been having sex with ever since augest) is a month enough for antibodies to build up?  i guess what i'm trying to say the test says i'm a negative should i stop worrying?

thank you  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You can't have an initial infection with HSV at a site that wasn't sexually exposed.  Therefore, the anal lesion was unlikely to have been herpes, more likely just a coincidence with the rest of this.

I have clearly stated the other reasons I don't think you have herpes and see no need to repeat them.  Re-read my original reply.

And as I also said there, I will comment again if and when you report your doctor's response to my original reply -- but please no follow-up comments until then.

[faris_s_87]

i am very glad you think i don't have it but may i ask why do you think so. Also even though  i got tested 20 days ago i want to go get tested tomorrow to see if the numbers change, do you think it's to soon?  sorry my post are a lot i just forget

thank you

[faris_s_87]

i received unprotected oral sex from the same girl i would say 3 weeks to a month ago but thats about it.

[faris_s_87]

It was near the anus opening . I haven't ever had sexual intercourse with a man

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Where was that "zit"?  Near your anus?  Has your rectum been sexually exposed, in particular with male partners?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.

Your doctor is exactly right. The large majority of people with very low HSV-2 test values, like yours, are not infected.  Repeat testing in a few weeks is exactly the right thing to do. If that result is clearly negative (i.e., a value 0.9 or less) you can be positive you don't have it.  If it remains in the equivocal range -- any result from 0.9 to 3.5 -- then a confirmatory blood test is required to sort it out, such as the HSV Western blot test.

The details of the HSV-2 blood tests and how they were are covered in this thread; take a look at it.  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/593272

To the specific questions:

1) See above, and the link.
2) There is no known cause for equivocal or falsely elevated test results.  It appears to be random.
3) Your "UTI" probably has nothing to do with it -- but see my comments below.
4,6) Actual herpes blisters/sores may itch, but otherwise herpes doesn't cause genital area itching.  HSV also doesn't cause genital rash except for blisters/sores.
5) Conceivably you have a new infection, in which case repeat testing will show a more strongly positive result.  This is one of the reasons to have a repeat test in a few weeks.
7) There is no set period for repeat testing.  Six weeks is probably about right.

Going back to your "UTI":  Urinary tract infections are rare in healthy young (under age 40) men.  Many physicians not up to speed on STDs diagnose UTI when the actual problem is nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), which is an STD.  There are mixed messages about your own provider in this instance:  doxycycline is the standard treatment for NGU, but usally not for UTI.  So I'm not certain exactly what your doctor thought you had.  On the other hand, the main symptoms of NGU are discharge of pus or mucus from the penis, sometimes with slightly uncomfortable urination but usually not overt pain.

Could that problem have been the initial symptoms of genital herpes?  Possibly yes.  But most herpes inside the urethra is very painful; one patient of mine said it was the worst pain he ever had.  And most herpetic urethritis also has typical penile herpes blisters/sores.  The probability of either herpes or NGU depends somewhat on your sexual exposures.  For example, any recent unprotected sex with new partners?

At this point, you should discuss these thoughts with your doctor.  Let me know what he says.  But most likely you don't have herpes.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[faris_s_87]

i also forgot to mention i had a zit around 3 months ago that hurt when i passed stool