Availability of Western Blot testing in Europe

[Jasmine]

Hi Terry,

I’m a 36-yr-old sexually active female living in Luxembourg. I was tested for HSV first time as part of a regular STI screening in the year 2011 or 2012. I tested positively both for HSV I and HSV II. Unfortunately I lost the results but the values for HSV I and II were similar to those of the subsequent tests.
I was tested subsequently on 01/23/2013 with these results:
HSV I IgG 30.9 (<0.9 is positive)
HSV II IgG 2.1 (<0.9 is positive)

I had another test just a week ago on 12/09/2016 with these values:

HSV I IgG 25.5
HSV II IgG 2.4

When I first got tested and got positive results I was very surprised as I didn’t remember having had any outbreaks (not even a cold sore on a lip let alone on the genitals). I did a lot of reading and learnt that oftentimes the infection can be asymptomatic and assumed that it might be my case. Then of course I have become slightly paranoid and started to watch out for possible symptoms and concluded that occasional pimples (just simple pimples nothing close to blisters typical for herpes) around the anus might be a manifestation of the infection which crushed my last hopes for a false positive result. However I realised that I when I was undergoing the last test last week I’ve had those pimples yet my IgM value came out negative which would mean that I wasn’t having an actual outbreak. Is that correct? In that case I can say that I have never experienced an outbreak. Considering that I’m asymptomatic and with relatively low positives values for HSV II while at the same time having quite high values for HSV I is there a chance for a false positive result? Would you recommend taking a western blot test and is it even possible to have it done in Europe (Luxembourg)? The cost is not an issue in this case.
Thank you

[Terri Warren]

I don’t think that the western blot can be run in Europe (as far as I know), but we do send test kits to people who live in Europe all the time. You need to contact Roger Smith in my office to arrange that and also have a phone consultation with me. He is here from 9-3, Pacific Standard time. And yes, you need one for sure.

Terri

[Jasmine]

Thanks for your reply Terri,

I have just called up Roger and fixed an appointment with you. Looking forward to talking to you on Tuesday.
Have a lovely day.

[Terri Warren]

Perfect. I’ll look forward to talking about this with you.
Terri

[Jasmine]

Hi Terri,

This is just to let you know that I misread Roger’s e-mail and assure you that he was ready to send out the kit as soon as he’s back from holidays. However I would like to let you know that for the reason of being on holidays myself I haven’t had the chance to find out if a lab in Luxembourg could provide me a centrifuged blood sample. I have just written an e-mail to Riger as well. I will let him know as soon as I have news and if it is possible I will ask him to send me the kit.
Have a lovely day

[Terri Warren]

Thanks for the update, that sounds just fine. You only need to keep Roger updated now as he is the one to ship the kit and I am out of town.

Terri

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