[Question #7343] hsv2 test
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58 months ago
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My sons girlfriend asked him to get a herpes test although he never in his life had symptoms, never had an outbreak. She wanted this prior to them having sex. He went and had a test although totally asymptomatic. the results came back as hsv2 -- .92 from the lab. they told him it means he is positive. He is extremely upset. all the research I have done shows this as inconclusive. He is totally lost as we are in advising him. We cant find a doctor that specializes in this. He went for a second test, (awaiting results) that doctor said he would be very hard pressed to say .92 is positive. What do we do? how do we get someone of authority to let him know that this test result should not change his life. Please help.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
58 months ago
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This is definitely NOT a positive result. It is an equivocal result. In order to properly understand this result, I would need to know the last time he had intercourse with anyone. Sometimes, if a person is developing a new infection, they will go from negative to equivocal to positive. That's 'why I need to know this to help you properly.
Terri
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58 months ago
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Terri
I believe it was 2016 the last time he had sex. Also two years ago he had shingles. Does this have any impact on the results?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
58 months ago
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Where were the shingles?
If he hasn't had sex since 2016, I would say with 99% certainty that this result does not represent a positive result. The best confirmatory test is the herpes western blot test. It is done only at the University of Washington, but I can order it for him if you want to pursue that. In 37 years of practice, I have only seen one person with an equivocal result on the IgG test, test positive on the western blot.
Terri
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58 months ago
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Correction. He had protected sex early this year. Do you till believe that this means the test is still not going positive? His shingles were on his buttocks
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
57 months ago
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I'm a little concerned about the shingles on the buttocks. I am assuming he is a younger guy, so shingles don't happen very often in younger people, though they do happen. How was the shingles diagnosed - visual inspection, swab test or culture? My concern is that shingles and herpes outbreaks look alike - did his outbreak come around the front of his body or was it only on the buttocks?
Terri
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57 months ago
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Can you help with this test result and what it means? 
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57 months ago
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He just got a call with a second test result. Everything g came back negative.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
57 months ago
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I think it is very likely that the first equivocal test result was simply picking up something else and not herpes. A negative now should be reassuring. If he continues to be concerned about this, we can always arrange a herpes westernblot. I'm sure both of you are greatly relieved.
Terri
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