[Question #2020] HSV-2 a Possiblity? FOLLOW UP
93 months ago
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Hi Terri, I purchased some additional questions. This was
your last comment on my previous thread: Question #2009 HSV-2 a possibility?
So many
questions! Hope I can answer them all. If you had an equivocal result
before, then it is not a surprised that you now have a low positive - you
likely have some protein in your blood that is tripping the test but not a
herpes related one. The best test is called the herpes western blot and
that is what we recommend for low positive results, to confirm or deny
infection, but you are too early for that at this point. I doubt you were
infected at this encounter, but I cannot say for certain with this low
positive. So I think you are OK, but I cannot be as definitive as your
previous provider because technically you do have a positive result and if I
said "oh you are fine" and this actually represented an infection,
that would be bad! Low positives can also occur due to a new infection,
thus my hesitancy to tell you that you are fine. Does that makes
sense? the antibiotics have no impact on the herpes antibody test,
no.
I was able to find a copy of my lab corp results from last
year and it was actually taken a little over a year ago in March 2016:
HSV 1 IGG type specific was at 48.90 ( a little higher than
my current 46.30) and my HSV 2 IGG, was actually <.91 (current is 1.79), not
equivocal. Not sure if that's due to changes in my body or due to previous test
being done through lab corp and most recent through Quest. Or if it's truly a
sign of acute infection.
Does this change your opinion on your belief that I have a
70% chance of being ok?
Also, what factors contribute to false positives? I don't
think i saw an answer to that in my last set of questions.
The last partner (prior to my gf) was right after my labcorp
results from 2016 (so it was early April 2016). If that person infected me with
hsv-2, would my current hsv-2 number be higher?
Lastly, I plan on testing again in 6 weeks like you
mentioned. What HSV-2 index would be suffice to say I’m probably negative?
Anything below 3.5?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
93 months ago
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It's difficult to say if your number would be higher if you were infected that long ago - some people just have low positives as their normal solid antibody response.
If your test is still positive but below 3.5, I would suggest that you obtain the herpes western blot from the University of Washington. This is considered the gold standard test for those with low positives.
Terri
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93 months ago
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
93 months ago
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Terri
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93 months ago
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
93 months ago
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Terri
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