Aa
Confused about Igg and igm
Hello and thank you for anyone that can help clarify my results. About 5 weeks ago I had unprotected oral and protected vaginal sex with a person of unknown status. One time occurrence.
I decided to get a full std panel at 30 days which is too early for stds like hsv. Now I’ve gotten cold sores since a child so I knew hsv1 would be positive but when my results came back positive for hsv2 I was kinda in disbelief.
The results were
Hsv1 Igg 30.8
Hsv2 Igg 1.62 and igm .35
I’ve never had an outbreak or any symptoms that’s I noticed in my genitals.
I’ve read to disregard the igm. But if this was a new infection wouldn’t my igm be positive and if this wasn’t a new infection wouldn’t my igg be higher than 1.62?
I’ve also read anything below an Igg of 3 can be a false positive? What are my chances this is a false positive?
Can my hsv1 influence my results for hsv2 on the igg?
Kinda upset about this and really would like some help. Thank you
I decided to get a full std panel at 30 days which is too early for stds like hsv. Now I’ve gotten cold sores since a child so I knew hsv1 would be positive but when my results came back positive for hsv2 I was kinda in disbelief.
The results were
Hsv1 Igg 30.8
Hsv2 Igg 1.62 and igm .35
I’ve never had an outbreak or any symptoms that’s I noticed in my genitals.
I’ve read to disregard the igm. But if this was a new infection wouldn’t my igm be positive and if this wasn’t a new infection wouldn’t my igg be higher than 1.62?
I’ve also read anything below an Igg of 3 can be a false positive? What are my chances this is a false positive?
Can my hsv1 influence my results for hsv2 on the igg?
Kinda upset about this and really would like some help. Thank you
COMMUNITY LEADER
Okay so first -
You have the right idea about IgM vs IgG antibodies. Yes, if this were a new infection, your IgM antibodies would be elevated. The problem with the herpes IgM test is that it's just unreliable. Some experts say it's wrong at least 80% of the time, and there's no way to know it. My own IgM tests were negative when it should have positive, and positive when it should have been negative.
There is just something with the test, not your body, that makes it unreliable for herpes. It can react to recurrences, it doesn't differentiate between type 1 and 2, and it's wrong in other situations, too.
So yes, ignore it.
You definitely have a pre-existing HSV1 infection. Your numbers wouldn't be that high this soon if that were a new infection. You already knew that, of course.
A 1.62 on the hsv2 IgG has about a 85% chance of being a false positive. The IgG test looks for hsv2 antibodies by looking for things in the blood that have certain molecular weights, and it can sometimes pick things up that have similar weights, like normal blood proteins.
I know the CDC says below a 3, and I'm not sure why they say 3 now, because it's a 3.5. Terri Warren, a clinician and leading herpes expert, who offers the Western Blot, has seen people with IgGs in the teens have false positives.
So you definitely have hope - quite a bit, actually. You can't do anything until week 12, as no one will do the Western Blot until then for greatest accuracy. At week 12, do another IgG, see what it says. If it stays the same as it is now, it's probably a false positive. You'd be fine accepting that as is, or if you need definitive negative answers, you can get the Western Blot.
You have the right idea about IgM vs IgG antibodies. Yes, if this were a new infection, your IgM antibodies would be elevated. The problem with the herpes IgM test is that it's just unreliable. Some experts say it's wrong at least 80% of the time, and there's no way to know it. My own IgM tests were negative when it should have positive, and positive when it should have been negative.
There is just something with the test, not your body, that makes it unreliable for herpes. It can react to recurrences, it doesn't differentiate between type 1 and 2, and it's wrong in other situations, too.
So yes, ignore it.
You definitely have a pre-existing HSV1 infection. Your numbers wouldn't be that high this soon if that were a new infection. You already knew that, of course.
A 1.62 on the hsv2 IgG has about a 85% chance of being a false positive. The IgG test looks for hsv2 antibodies by looking for things in the blood that have certain molecular weights, and it can sometimes pick things up that have similar weights, like normal blood proteins.
I know the CDC says below a 3, and I'm not sure why they say 3 now, because it's a 3.5. Terri Warren, a clinician and leading herpes expert, who offers the Western Blot, has seen people with IgGs in the teens have false positives.
So you definitely have hope - quite a bit, actually. You can't do anything until week 12, as no one will do the Western Blot until then for greatest accuracy. At week 12, do another IgG, see what it says. If it stays the same as it is now, it's probably a false positive. You'd be fine accepting that as is, or if you need definitive negative answers, you can get the Western Blot.
4 Comments
Thank you Aunti for the clarification!! Just don’t know what do. I’ll have to wait 6 more weeks to get retested. I tested at 30 days. No blisters or sores. Really hoping this is a false positive. I’m in a relationship now and I’m sure if I should disclose. Ugh.
I like my odds tho. 85% is pretty high. I’m going to hope for the best and keep praying.
I like my odds tho. 85% is pretty high. I’m going to hope for the best and keep praying.
Did you go outside of the relationship? Is that why you tested? (No judgement, just fact finding.)
If this is all the result of you going outside your relationship, I wouldn't disclose yet. You had protected sex, and the odds of getting hsv2 from a one-time protected encounter are really low.
If your number was higher, or you were having symptoms, I might suggest otherwise.
If this is a new relationship, have you discussed STIs and testing, birth control and the like? If you haven't, this could be a good intro to do that, but I don't think you're under any obligation to disclose here. The odds are really high that you're negative. (I do still think talking about testing and such is a good idea, especially if you aren't using condoms if you are sexually active.)
Yes, your odds are great. :)
If this is all the result of you going outside your relationship, I wouldn't disclose yet. You had protected sex, and the odds of getting hsv2 from a one-time protected encounter are really low.
If your number was higher, or you were having symptoms, I might suggest otherwise.
If this is a new relationship, have you discussed STIs and testing, birth control and the like? If you haven't, this could be a good intro to do that, but I don't think you're under any obligation to disclose here. The odds are really high that you're negative. (I do still think talking about testing and such is a good idea, especially if you aren't using condoms if you are sexually active.)
Yes, your odds are great. :)
Unfortunately auntie, I stepped out of my relationship. I made a mistake and confessed to her. She’s forgiven me but I don’t want her to be infected bc of my poor decision making. I’m going to hold off telling her about the low positive just because of the 85 percent chance of it being a false positive. Ugh my conscience eats me alive at times. Ugh
Yes, hold off. If nothing else, she doesn't need this burden as well.
With the odds that this is a false positive, it's best that you spare her this.
I think it's good that you have a conscience, even if it's eating you alive right now. Hopefully you can remember how you feel now and not do this again, if for no other reason than your mental health. :)
With the odds that this is a false positive, it's best that you spare her this.
I think it's good that you have a conscience, even if it's eating you alive right now. Hopefully you can remember how you feel now and not do this again, if for no other reason than your mental health. :)
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
