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Unusually high IgG levels in HSV-1 testing results
Recently i did my herpes type-specific blood tests, results came a couple of days ago and HSV-1 was positive but HSV-2 was negative. What concerned me was the IgG level reported in the result for HSV-1:
The report says HSV1 IgG level was around 70.2 or so (note that >1.1 is positive), this looks REALLY high, higher than any number I could ever found on Internet forums. Some websites say high antibody level typically means recent infection, is that right?
I'd love to hear expert's opinion here, I'm worried that my recent urethritis (1 week ago) might be corrleated to this, but i don't have any obvious lesions, sores, or any other herpes symptoms on my genital.
The report says HSV1 IgG level was around 70.2 or so (note that >1.1 is positive), this looks REALLY high, higher than any number I could ever found on Internet forums. Some websites say high antibody level typically means recent infection, is that right?
I'd love to hear expert's opinion here, I'm worried that my recent urethritis (1 week ago) might be corrleated to this, but i don't have any obvious lesions, sores, or any other herpes symptoms on my genital.
Best Answer
I just did my routine STD screening , everything else came back negative and HSV 1 was at 43.80 and hsv 2 was 2.89. I have never had any cold sores or any lesions in the genitals. I am not worried about the positive HSV1 as much as the HSV2 . Can this be a false positive for HSV 2 since my number HSV1 result was so high?
Tamlea, I think we can help you a lot. Can you post in a new thread including exactly how you have been diagnosed with herpes along with any test results.
Hello i just found out my doctor told me about my herpes level is high and it kinded of worries me about this but i dont have no symptoms no discharge no outbreak no blister or sores or itchy do i really have herpes ..Can i have sex with my husbands he the only man i had sleep with in eight years please tell me more about this..
I encourage you to pay to post to Terri Warren our herpes expert here on medhelp about this at this point.
grace
grace
I guess one more question I have is:
Does the level of antibodies to HSV-1 virus drop as the time goes by? Or does it stay pretty much the same?
Does the level of antibodies to HSV-1 virus drop as the time goes by? Or does it stay pretty much the same?
I just took the HSV-1 IgG test again, and the result is the same, antibody count is at 70.0, a very high number.
There are two schools of thoughts with regard to this high number:
1. The high number of anitbody level indicates a recent infection. I had unprotected oral sex on 7/2 so the test done on 8/9 showing high antibody count would be a good indication of recent infection of HSV-1 by that encounter on 7/2.
2. The high number of antibody level indicates an earlier infection. It takes multiple weeks, some times up to 12 weeks, for antibody to build up and be detectable by the tests. Sometimes even at the time of the first outbreak, people still can be tested negative for HSV. If encounter was on 7/2 and test was on 8/9, and the antibody number is already very high, then it's most likely not caused by the 7/2 encounter but something else in the past.
Which one is more plausible? Would love to hear opinions of this community!
One thing I want to mention is that: I had urethratitis symptoms around 8/9, and I uncovered one or two tiny lumps on tips of penis (< 2mm) that is painless and did NOT itch. The lumps were uncovered on 7/28, they were skin-colored, were not fluid-filled, did not ooze, and did not break-out throughout the whole process. They are mostly gone now.
There are two schools of thoughts with regard to this high number:
1. The high number of anitbody level indicates a recent infection. I had unprotected oral sex on 7/2 so the test done on 8/9 showing high antibody count would be a good indication of recent infection of HSV-1 by that encounter on 7/2.
2. The high number of antibody level indicates an earlier infection. It takes multiple weeks, some times up to 12 weeks, for antibody to build up and be detectable by the tests. Sometimes even at the time of the first outbreak, people still can be tested negative for HSV. If encounter was on 7/2 and test was on 8/9, and the antibody number is already very high, then it's most likely not caused by the 7/2 encounter but something else in the past.
Which one is more plausible? Would love to hear opinions of this community!
One thing I want to mention is that: I had urethratitis symptoms around 8/9, and I uncovered one or two tiny lumps on tips of penis (< 2mm) that is painless and did NOT itch. The lumps were uncovered on 7/28, they were skin-colored, were not fluid-filled, did not ooze, and did not break-out throughout the whole process. They are mostly gone now.
usually if you contract hsv1 genitally, it presents within a week or two and has pretty obvious and "classic" herpes symptoms since it almost always is only transmitted when someone is hsv1 negative prior to the oral sex. symptoms starting 5 or 6 weeks later probably are not herpes related. If you get them again, be seen promptly for a proper evaluation and if they feel they look like herpes, a lesion culture and typing should be done on them.
grace
grace
the encounter was unprotected oral for less than 2 minutes followed by protected intercourse. No i have never been tested for HSV.
thanks for all the help!
thanks for all the help!
There isn't any testing yet that will tell you where the HSV infection is without obvious symptoms.
I think that was the unclear part is the encounter. Unprotected oral is a low risk and a one time oral encounter is still low risk. Have you ever tested for HSV in the past using an IgG test?
I think that was the unclear part is the encounter. Unprotected oral is a low risk and a one time oral encounter is still low risk. Have you ever tested for HSV in the past using an IgG test?
Hi Grace, thanks again for your answer! Yes the test was done just a week into symptom onset, but the encounter of unprotected oral sex happened about 5-6 weeks ago. So it appears possible to me that those 5-6 week period might be enough for my body to build up a strong immu response hence a clear + on the HSV-1 antibody count...
Regarding other partners, no I don't have any other partner since the last encounter.
Is there any test or anything I can do to determine if the HSV-1 virus is infecting me genitally or orally? (assuming there is no obvious lesion to collect sample from). I know... this could be very hard.
Thanks again for answering all my questions.
Regarding other partners, no I don't have any other partner since the last encounter.
Is there any test or anything I can do to determine if the HSV-1 virus is infecting me genitally or orally? (assuming there is no obvious lesion to collect sample from). I know... this could be very hard.
Thanks again for answering all my questions.
Grace, I've been reading lots of your posts these days, it's really amazing to see how much help you've offered to people who are desperately in need of good advice. Thank you so much!!!
I will ask for a re-test next week... yes, i understand it's a + anyway but it's always good to know the real numbers :-)
if I don't have any (obvious) lesion, at least externally, is there any other way I can know if my HSV1 infection is on genital? My urethritis symptoms also disappeared 2-3 days ago, and i was tested negative for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, there was no discharge from the penis either. the only obvious connection seems to be the hsv1 infection, but still not so sure how to make this....
I will ask for a re-test next week... yes, i understand it's a + anyway but it's always good to know the real numbers :-)
if I don't have any (obvious) lesion, at least externally, is there any other way I can know if my HSV1 infection is on genital? My urethritis symptoms also disappeared 2-3 days ago, and i was tested negative for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, there was no discharge from the penis either. the only obvious connection seems to be the hsv1 infection, but still not so sure how to make this....
actually I think this was clerical error and it was supposed to be entered as 7.02 up to you if you want to repeat the test since it really doesn't matter either way - it's a + regardless.
only way to confirm hsv1 genitally is through a lesion culture of active symptoms genitally.
grace
only way to confirm hsv1 genitally is through a lesion culture of active symptoms genitally.
grace
the encounter (of unprotected oral sex) was about 5-6 weeks ago before the test. and yes I'm sure it's type-specific Herpes IgG test.
thanks for the reply, hope Grace can help shed some light here...
thanks for the reply, hope Grace can help shed some light here...
I can't interpret your results best left to someone with training and Grace is just your person.
That is not true though on the numbers showing recent infection.
More then half the adult us population has HSV-1 orally (we get it at childhood) even outside of remembering cold sores.
If you had an encounter that was a week ago and tested a week after it chances are this isn't a recent infection. Most tests take at least 2 weeks to be positive and up to 12-16 weeks for an accurate negative test.
Are you sure this as a Herpes IgG test and not a Herpes IgM?
That is not true though on the numbers showing recent infection.
More then half the adult us population has HSV-1 orally (we get it at childhood) even outside of remembering cold sores.
If you had an encounter that was a week ago and tested a week after it chances are this isn't a recent infection. Most tests take at least 2 weeks to be positive and up to 12-16 weeks for an accurate negative test.
Are you sure this as a Herpes IgG test and not a Herpes IgM?
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
have you had any new partners lately? if you have a regular partner have they been tested for herpes to know their own status?
grace