Test Results

[spdmn]

Hello - So I just got my first HSV test ever (IGG Herpeselect, via Quest) following a relatively low-risk encounter and the results were as follows:

HSV 1 = 0.50
HSV 2 = 0.07

Where:
1.10 = Positive

Now, this was all at just 7 weeks past exposure, and for my own peace of mind I plan to get tested again after the 12 week mark.  However, was wondering if there was any way to interpret the above deeper just based on the values?  I.e. does the very low HSV-2 number mean I am likely good there?  Does the fact that the HSV-1 is quite higher than the other number a sign that it may be climbing towards positive?  (Just worries me a bit that one number is REALLY low and the other is significantly higher, even if still in the negative range....should it?)  Or is that all speculative and the numbers don't mean anything other than "you are negative at this time"?  Sorry for a perhaps dumb question, but I'm very new at this.  Thanks.

[spdmn]

All that said, thank you for your reply.  I need all the reassurance I can get while I sweat out getting tested again after the 3 month mark.  You would think the "clearly negative" results on the first test would be GOOD news!  I always have to find a reason to panic....

[spdmn]

Thanks, Fleetwood20.  I think I follow most of that, but I guess the takeaway is my theory that the HSV-1 number is almost halfway to Positive territory a little more than halfway to the 3 month mark (while the HSV-2 # is super-low) means I'm "on my way" to a Positive HSV-1 result doesn't hold water. I guess I'm worried because I've been poring over past posts here and have seen seemingly conflicting opinions on the matter.  True, most of what I have seen here and on other Google searches don't put much stock in the numbers themselves, just whether they fall in positive, negative, or equivocal territory.  However, there was a post on this board from Terri that seemed to suggest she thought there might be something to IGG Positive readings over .2 being a sign that one might be in the process of seroconverting.  Or maybe I interpreted it wrong.  (In any case, I ponied up and asked her directly in the Expert forum.)  :-)

[Fleetwood20]

The only interpretation to take is that they are clearly negative. There is no real significance in the difference between the numbers of your HSV1 and HSV2. All of our blood contains random antibodies and other stuff that reacts with the testing wells to create some coloring that is compared as a ratio in its density to a threshold level. This threshold level is pretty low and results in a few false positives as well.

The antigens in the wells are different between HSV1 and HSV2 so you expect a different number in the 'noise' of a negative.

Thus negative is negative. You could easily test in another few months and the numbers could be reversed for example.

The 'at this time part' does relate to the time it takes for your body to produce detectable antibodies. This averages 20-25 days but takes up to 90 days. Probably around 75% of infected people would testing positive by 7 weeks.

[spdmn]

Weird...it didn't post all the range numbers.  I'll try again using words:

Where:
Less than 0.90 is Negative
0.90 thru 1.10 is Equivocal
Greater than 0.90 is Positive