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Herpes Antibodies - false positives/false-negatives

Okay, so just earlier this year I became sexually active. I was careful. I use condoms and asked the general health questions that are normally hard before anything happened. I have always thought of "foreplay" as another way to check for any signs of infections like bumps or rashes ect. on the penis before intercourse happens. Apparently I have bad luck and still got a couple of STI infections that were bacterial and just another bacterial infection that wasn't a STI. This was not uncommon for me only because I catch bacterial infections so easy, but I normally never get viral illnesses. I even kicked a shoe once not hard, did not hurt or anything and a week later I was getting my toe cut open because it was infected….

Anyway back to the topic. I was feeling not 100% which is not uncommon for after midterms in college. After a long weekend of two hockey games in the shower I noticed it hurt really bad to wash and have water run across my vagina. When I got home I grabbed a mirror to take a look. I had about 12-15 red bumps. They were spread out and not open or white or anything just red bumps only on the lips of my vagina, bigger than razor irritation and similar to acne or hives. Just in case though I went to Plan Parenthood. I found out I had another infection and they took a swab of two of my bumps. I got treated for the infection and was sent home with herpes medication just in case. I had to call back a week later to get the results and they told me I was HSV-2 positive.

None of my partners ever had cuts and all but two were always protected. One of the two that were not protected was a virgin and the other was just getting out of a relationship he was loyal too and had STI tests done and was clean, but after talking with him about it (for he was my most resent partner) I realized we over looked that the reason his relationship ended was because his ex HAD cheated on him.

I still can't believe I am this unlucky. I have spend weeks reading as much into herpes. I understand false-positives on swabs is near impossible like 1 in a million but there is a chance I could be really luck, Right? I HOPE!. So I went to get a second opinion. I am currently waiting for my IgM and my IgG herpes blood tests results to return, and I also got the syphilis since they were drawing blood.

The reason I got both herpes test was to hopefully pin point when I got it assuming my IgM positive it was resent exposer, if my IgG it was 4 or more months ago and if both positive then the possibility I have a strong immune system with resent exposer, if both come back negative then I'm too far out that the IgM are gone and my immune system is building up my antibodies against the virus and just cannot be detected through an IgG yet.

Finally my hopeful option is if both are negative then it was a false-positive; but because the most resent occurrence and partner was on going for a month and ended only 3-4 weeks ago due to the testing time frame, Id have to retest the IgG in 4-6 months to see if it comes out negative again, HOPEFULLY. Assuming that this one "out break" is the only one and I (like 90% or so of HSV infected people or someone not infected) never have one happen again with no symptoms, can conclude I was the 1 in a million person to have a false-positive? Right?

So after all this information my question is, is it possible that a person have a positive Herpes swab and then never ever in their life develop antibodies that will show up on their IgG blood test? Ever? And if yes, then assuming it came from the most resent partner by the combination of the IgM and the IgG...what are the chance that him, his ex, and the guy she cheated on him with all come out negative for a IgG test (assuming I get my sassy pants on and hand hold all of them to get tested) as well in the 4-6 month range?

Also I know there is no cure yet and the University of Washington just did their first round of blind trials on a possible cure last year and are waiting for the results, when their are natural products that say they "cure" (I'm assuming clinically cure) by inhabiting viruses, what does that mean? And strong natural supplements that strip toxins and viruses from your body, do they at all affect antibodies or in other words can antibodies be destroyed?

Last thing, the only reason I'm concerned with when I got it is because the guy and me put things on "hold" is because his ex says she is pregnant and claiming he is the father. I could care less with how she handles her life because she is rude to me; but I do however, care for this guy as a friend and more. If he is the father I want to be able to talk to his ex through phone to let her know that she might have herpes and have her push her doctor to treat her like she has herpes to give the baby the best chance if she does in fact have herpes. I also want to be able to tell her the facts if the IgM is positive and confidently tell her only so I don't seem like the crazy jealous girl, but a girl who is actually kind hearted. She also cheated on this guy id say 2 and a half to 3 months ago so her IgM and IgG could both come up negative even though she has it.  

If you read all of this you are a super star! Thanks so much I cannot wait until I hear your replies :)
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the info. :) thats what I though I think she is just trying to break my reality of me realizing its completely real. Remember I am still taking the precautions as I am because of the positive culture.

I get lucky in very rare occasions when it matters. I just hope this is the case only because of the fact that my bumps or "out break" looked nothing like any of the pictures I have seen. I have sensitive skin and get bruises and marks easily and never know where they come from. I play hockey and sweat a lot as goalie and never wear clothes under my gear and shower right afterwards.

I get acne a lot on my face, shoulders, back, occasional armpit and between my legs and around my genitals. I have a handle on acne and before the test when the bumps first showed up heat compress and acne cream made 5 bumps disappear with no other medications, no open blistering, and no scabbing.

NOTE: On the day of my test I did heat compress in the morning (I use water) but I did NOT put acne cream on it because I know it could have contaminated the swab.

Anyway if you pray, please pray for me, and idk if you still be following this or not but once I get the for sure results by blood test now and if negative then the WB in May I'll post them.

Thanks so much again.
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Avatar universal
Yes everybody produces antibodies to viruses they are infected with. Potentially only a severe immunosuppressed condition may prevent this.

More likely some commercial blood tests will miss the antibodies in a small percentage of cases. A Westernblot will only miss a fraction of a percent of people with antibodies.

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Avatar universal
Thanks for responding. Yes I'm pretty sure he is the one because its the first time id have a noticeable "out break". Which your first one is normally the worst one I've heard. I'll let the pregnant woman know only because I know he won't… He is still trying to accept its his because of what happened between them. I was planning at testing again if my blood results come back negative at the 6 month mark, and i'll take your advice and do a western blot.

Its just that my doctor was trying to tell me that I'm positive no matter what and I was only told a little over two weeks ago so i'm sure i'll still be denying it for a while but I did tell her "I'm assuming I have it meaning I'll take the precautions for it, but Im hoping I don't and I'm the lucky one in a million" her response to me was "well even if your IgGs all come back negative, even next year if they do its because some people just never develop the antibodies"

I was wondering if thats true. Being in science classes and anatomy at school I got to believe that my body will always produce the antibodies especially if I'm not continually having out breaks. Right?
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Avatar universal
I'll have a go at your questions.

A swab is definitive barring lab error or contamination. One issue here might be whether the swab was correctly typed for HSV2 or just HSV then an assumption made given the genital location. Basically if you receive unprotected oral sex then maybe it is HSV1, just maybe.

You will need a negative on IgG antibodies after 16 weeks to question the swab outcome further. A Westernblot would then be needed to counter the swab.

Do not overread the IgM results, there are many false positives and false negatives with this test. You can really only base recent infections on going from negative to positive on the IgG. It is up to you whether you indicate to the pregnant woman that she may have herpes. I think encouraging her to test for it as a normal part of pregnancy is as far as you need go.

As for the source, this sounds like a primary outbreak. If you had sex with your partner 2-10 days before they appeared I'd suggest that is a strong indicator he is the source.

That's all I can really help with.
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Avatar universal
I hope you read all of this. If not at least the 6th and 7th paragraph are where the questions are at!

Thanks so much for all your help,
Mae

p.s. most of the information I have learned are from reading questions and your responses along with other .org and .edu sites!
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