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Clarification on herpes type specific IGM testing

I read through few website and went through pages over in this forum about validity about IGM testing.

When they speak about IGM, they mostly referring to common IGM testing (1&2) because these were old tests actively tested around 7~10 years back.

In 2019, most labs offering individual type specific IGM testing for HSV 1&2 and turn outs help in detecting acute/current infection.

Why we are still addressing IGM test is flawed and it can be right at the time where most labs not offering type specific IGM?

All I can see posts and websites which say igm is inaccurate test and all are written around 6~7 years back.
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207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
I'm not sure I understand your question entirely.

The IgM test itself is unreliable, and shouldn't be performed on adults, ever. It doesn't matter if they're type specific or not.

The CDC's 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines - https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/herpes.htm

"IgM testing for HSV 1 or HSV-2 is not useful, because IgM tests are not type-specific and might be positive during recurrent genital or oral episodes of herpes (337)."

http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/herpes/herpes-testing/ - this lists several reasons why the IgM isn't reliable for herpes diagnoses.

https://www.statnews.com/2017/01/26/flawed-herpes-testing-leads-to-false-positives/ - excellent article about IgM testing

https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ - this is written by Terri Warren, one of the world's leading experts in herpes.

"IgM (a different kind of antibody) tests do not accurately distinguish between the types of virus nor can they accurately tell a new infection from an old one. IgM tests also may pick up other herpes viruses, like chicken pox or mono virus. IgM tests for herpes should be avoided completely until better ones are available. Many clinicians don’t realize that the IgM test is not good for diagnosing people, and tell people, based on an IgM test, that they have herpes. And not only that, they tell them have new herpes infection because IgM, with other viruses, comes up early in infection. But with herpes, IgG and IgM come up around the same time. The IgM can be generated years after first infection and will be detectable periodically. There are also commonly false positives on the IgM test. A person might have an IgM test and four months later, still be IgG negative. The IgG is the only test you ever want for herpes, never ever IgM." - pg 11

We also have several recent threads about people who've tested positive on the IgM. Here are a couple:

https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Positive-IgM---can-it-be-wrong-Severe-anxiety/show/3047937

https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Can-the-results-of-a-Herpes-exam-come-out-erroneous/show/3047578

https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Herpes-IgM-Test-positive-344/show/3047375

So I'm not sure if I answered your question, because it seems as if you want information about the IgM being reliable, but it isn't.  

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Avatar universal
First off all, I really appreciate your help on people to understanding herpes and guidance.

All data's were presented in above links are based on combined IGM test which were used long before and now also some labs performing it.

["IgM testing for HSV 1 or HSV-2 is not useful, because IgM tests are not type-specific and might be positive during recurrent genital or oral episodes of herpes (337)."]

In the above quote, it clearly states that previous igm test is not type specific and nowadays a new version of IGM type specific tests are available. so, I think it might be reliable and which can overcome previous issue and may detect earlier Infection with herpes.

It just my understanding based on websites and knowledge gathered.



Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Yes, not being type specific is an issue, but what about this part: "...might be positive during recurrent genital or oral episodes of herpes (337)."

Also, "...nor can they accurately tell a new infection from an old one. IgM tests also may pick up other herpes viruses, like chicken pox or mono virus."

Listen, I'm not going to take a lot of time to convince you that the IgM test sucks. The CDC, Terri Warren and a lot of other experts say it's bad, have explained why. They all know a lot more than I do, so that's good enough for me.

Is there a reason why you want to believe it? Do you have a positive IgM? What do your IgG tests say? Do you have a WB test?

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