Opinion on test results

[Nycguy646]

Thank you again for all of your help on this forum. I got my results for the Herpeselect IgG through Quest and have a few questions. Here are the results:

HSV-1 Type-Spec AB: Equivocal   0.97H
HSV-2 Type-Spec AB: Negative   (No value given just <0.91)

1. If I had an old HSV-1 infection for 10 years or more, would the value be higher or could this test still miss an old infection?
2. At 12 weeks, is the HSV-2 result very reliable?
3. If I did have a long-standing HSV-1 infection, would it contribute to a false negative for HSV-2?

[feelingundone]

That wouldn't affect your test.

[feelingundone]

12 weeks is sufficient. The outbreak is really irrelevant to the antibodies forming. You should believe the results. If not retest in a month.

[Nycguy646]

Ok thank you again. I'm following up with Nurse Warren about the next step testing-wise. My last question is if  taking alacyclovir for 2 days before getting my blood drawn would have enough effect to produce a false negative or would it be too little time to actually affect the results?

[feelingundone]

Hsv1 tests are not the greatest and people who are clearly hsv1 positive can test negative. The western blot is far better for hsv1 and is the gold standard for hsv testing

[Nycguy646]

You said that people with HSV-1 can take longer to test positive for HSV-2. Is 12 weeks enough even in that scenario?

Would a test be more likely to show positive if a person had an actual outbreak with lesions or is that irrelevant to whether your body has created antibodies? In other words, does your body still create antibodies even if you've never had an outbreak with lesions?

[feelingundone]

Hsv1 tests can show negative when they clearly have hsv1. They aren't the best.
The western blot is far better at detecting hsv1 and is the gold standard in hsv testing

[feelingundone]

1.hsv1 tests are not as good as hsv2 and can miss up to 25% of infections. So this could go either way.

2.yes. at twelve weeks you can believe the test results.

3.no. absolutely not. Some folks with hsv1 will take longer to test positive for hsv2 but at twelve weeks you are fine.

[Nycguy646]

So an old infection of HSV-1 could show up on an IgG as a low equivocal like it has here? If I chose to do the Western Blot, would it also be very reliable for confirming an HSV-2 infection? I would do so at around 16 weeks post exposure.