Aa
confusing results
I was diagnosed with HSV2 from a culture test one year ago. Although the OB was my first, it seemed atypical (2 bumps, no scabbing, no flu like symptoms) and I questioned the result but was told the swab test was "the gold standard" and is rarely wrong. I have been on suppressive therapy since one month after the original diagnosis (11 months) with no additional outbreaks. Last week I had an IgG Herpes Select blood test, and both the HSV1 and HSV2 results were LOW negatives (hsv1 was .1, hsv 2 was .25). My doctor seems to think the swab test was incorrect, since the antibody test was such a low negative. What should I do next to find out for sure???
Ok, so I waited a few months and just got retested with the Herpes Select blood test. As mentioned before, my first blood test was HSV 2 .26 - negative. This test came back positive at HSV 2 2.5 - positive. Do you think that this is a true positive or could it be considered a false positive?? Should I get another blood test done, perhaps the WB, or accept the diagnosis as HSV 2 positive??
It could've been anything going on. If you really want answers , which it seems you need, stop the suppressive therapy. as you saw if this is hsv2, it didn't last long at all right?
About 2% of folks won't test accurately on the blood tests we currently offer. Those folks only get diagnosed thru cultures of symptoms.
grace
About 2% of folks won't test accurately on the blood tests we currently offer. Those folks only get diagnosed thru cultures of symptoms.
grace
I started the suppressive therapy again, I cannot emotionally handle another outbreak so I am going to stay on it. If I do happen to get an outbreak while on it, I will get it cultured again. I assume the bump I just had WAS in fact an outbreak, it just makes sense that something appeared 10 days after going off of the Valtrex, I mean what else could it be?! I just don't understand the low antibody levels on the blood test.
murphy's law says that all symptoms will occur 10 minutes after your doctor sets out the "closed" sign. It's a given.
Honestly I'd wait and if you get it again, then go for testing. Perhaps even talk to your doctor about being able to be seen by a clinic nurse just for the testing - it's easy to do and you don't need an official visit with a doctor to get it done. If it's pcr they are using, you can even do it at home.
Did you just take a 3 day dose of valtrex or did you start suppressive therapy again?
peroxide shouldn't be used for skin care routinely. It's essentially non-chlorine bleach and is very irritating to the skin in general.
grace
Honestly I'd wait and if you get it again, then go for testing. Perhaps even talk to your doctor about being able to be seen by a clinic nurse just for the testing - it's easy to do and you don't need an official visit with a doctor to get it done. If it's pcr they are using, you can even do it at home.
Did you just take a 3 day dose of valtrex or did you start suppressive therapy again?
peroxide shouldn't be used for skin care routinely. It's essentially non-chlorine bleach and is very irritating to the skin in general.
grace
I discontinued the suppresive therapy and had a single bump appear. It was itchy and white, like a pimple, but I could not have it swabbed because it appeared on a Friday and by Monday morning it was gone.. needless to say I was applying hydrogen peroxide to it daily and took the Valtrex immediately... would you agree that this indeed was the "positive" indication that I was looking for, or could a herpes outbreak not be cured in 2 days?? I still plan on having another blood test in a few months, but what if its still negative?? Also, this single bump appears on the outer labia......
Since I do not have a regular partner, I will discontinue the suppressive therapy and see what happens, def. repeating a blood test in 2-3 months. As you mentioned, if I get an outbreak I will have it cultured also. Thanks for your help :)
If they did a pcr swab, it could've sat at the lab for a month and it wouldn't have mattered. Also if it was sent in the proper transport medium and stored properly that also helps.
I'm guessing at this point you just aren't convinced you have herpes and need convincing? If you have a regular partner, have they been tested for herpes? I recommend otherwise stopping suppressive therapy for a few months. If you get a return of symptoms, go and be seen and get them promptly tested again. Otherwise repeat your blood test in 2 or 3 months off of suppressive therapy.
grace
I'm guessing at this point you just aren't convinced you have herpes and need convincing? If you have a regular partner, have they been tested for herpes? I recommend otherwise stopping suppressive therapy for a few months. If you get a return of symptoms, go and be seen and get them promptly tested again. Otherwise repeat your blood test in 2 or 3 months off of suppressive therapy.
grace
Yes it was cultured for hsv2 . I also noticed that the culture did not arrive at the lab to be tested until 2 days after collecting, so what is all the talk about having to get swabbed 1 or 2 days after getting lesions so that the virus won't die and give a false negative... how did my sample come back positive after sitting in the dr. office for two days?? Could this be a possible sample mix up at the dr. office with someone else's culture??? ... the antibody level is just so low to even have been exposed.... so confusing!....
was your lesion cultured typed to know if it was hsv1 or hsv2? Call the clinic and make sure it really was and not just + for hsv and assumed hsv2 since it was genital.
grace
grace
My understanding was that the swab/culture actually detects (or doesn't) the herpes virus, so there really is no room for a false positive. There can easily be false negatives, if in fact the swab doesn't pick up the virus from a lesion.
grace may too have some insight here.
grace may too have some insight here.
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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.
