Hello Experts!

I entered into a sexual relationship with a new partner and need help interpreting her most recent STD screen results.  the relevant details are:

(1) My partner has previously tested negative for all STDs/STIs on previous screenings.  She has never displayed herpes symptoms.

(2) On her most recent screening, she received a positive result for HSV-2.  She was told that her result was equivocal and that another test should be administrated four weeks later for confirmation.

(3) It is my understanding the test administrated was the HerpeSelect HSV-2 IgG test where an index level below 1.1 is considered negative and anything above 3.5 is positive.  Index levels between 1.1 and 3.5 have a high likelihood of false positives.  Her index level on the first test was 1.2.

(4) Approx. 4 weeks after her first test, she was tested again and had an index value of 1.24.  I am not sure if this is the same HerpeSelect IgG test of something different.

(5) On the second test, the Nurse who administrated the results told her she was negative.  This is confusing, because in all my research, a 1.24 index does not indicate a negative result.

Based on the details above, can you please provide answers to these questions:

(1) Does the fact that she previously tested negative, but now tests positive (albiet low index values) lend any credence to the fact that she may have been exposed to the HSV-2 virus?

(2) Is there any correlation between the increases/decreases of index values?  Or should all test results and index values stand alone? 

(3)  What does this middle index area (1.1 - 3.5) mean?  Should an index value in the low 1.20s be taken as a positive and all past/future partners be notified?  Or is there another way it should be handled?  Does a low index value have anything to do with the risk of transmission (low index value means highlight unlikely to transmit)?

So much confusion here!  First, a 1.2 is not equivocal, it is a low positive.  And 1.24 is also a low positive, not negative.  The difference between the two test is tiny and has no meaning.

There is probably a 90-95% chance that this is a false positive but I have seen people with values in this range confirm as positive by western blot, but rarely. 

The CDC recommends that anyone who tests positive in the low positive range (1.1 to 3.5) obtain a confirmatory test.  The best is the herpes western blot done only at the University of Washington.   She can work with her own provider to obtain that test or if that doesn't work for some reason, I can help her obtain that test. 

The index value, high or low, has absolutely nothing to do with transmission.

Terri