Confused about results

[anon8]

HI, I had the following tests done with the results. can you help me understand if i have herpes

I had some blisters in my pubic hair area about an inch or two from the base of my penis. I went to the Dr about a week and a half after they first appeared and they said it didn’t look like herpes. I asked them to try and swab but they said they probably couldn’t get anything. we tried anyways using a swab on the infected area. when i tried to get more info about the specific test i was told there was no more info than what i listed below. and they didn’t have the lab results. not sure if they just lost the record.
4/30/13 Herpes simplex without mention of complication

10/05/2013
Type specific will differentiate between Herpes Simplex 1 and 2 infections.
Herpes I ab.(IgG) 0.3
Herpes II Ab.(IgG) 0.5
Herpes Simp. I/II.(IgM) (3) <0.9
Obtained with the Diamedix immunosimplicity IS-HSV 1 and 2 IgM EIA Test System.

8/27/14
Type specific will differentiate between Herpes Simplex 1 and 2 infections.10/05/2013
Herpes I ab.(IgG) 0.3
Herpes II Ab.(IgG) 0.4
Herpes Simp. I/II.(IgM) (3) <0.9
Obtained with the Diamedix immunosimplicity IS-HSV 1 and 2 IgM EIA Test System.

4/24/15
HSV 1/ 2 IGG HERPESELECT
HSV1 IgG HerpIndx 0.13
HSV2 IgG HerpIndx 0.30

From my research i thought IGG testing was very accurate and after a settled amount of time should tell me if i have herpes or not. Should i try and get a western blot which would be a challange since i live in NY unless there is a way to get it at this point through jersey or somewhere else.

[Terri Warren]

You should ignore the IgM testing, and the IgG testing is definitely negative at this time. And it’s been a long time if your initial visit was in April of 2013. The western blot would help you be more certain since you did have symptoms suggestive of herpes. So there were actual blisters, did they have water in them? Could they be broken like a blister? Hmmmm.

The screening test misses 25% of hSV 1 infections so that would likely be where the western blot would help you the most.

We are currently running a study on western blot results compared to ELISA results in people who live in New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Florida and Maryland. So we can arrange shipping of the western blot to us from those dates, being drawn at a Quest lab where you live. To find out more about that, you can contact Rene in our research department.

But if you don’t want to do the western blot, for now, these IgG results are firmly negative.

Terri

[anon8]

Terri,

there were actual blisters and they had clear liquid. they couldn’t really be popped but once they started to scab over you could dab/press them with tissue and get the liquid to come out.

So according to the IgG i am negative but since it misses 25% of hSV1 I could have hSV1 that happened to manifest in the genital region? A western blot would be the most definitive test to see if this is possibly the case?

thanks

[Terri Warren]

Yes, the western blot is far better at picking up HSV 1 than the usual IgG screening test. However, the problem is that if the HSV 1 is positive on the western blot you will not be able to be certain that the blisters were indeed caused by HSV 1, though I think it is likely. Did you receive oral sex within a week before the blisters showed up? It is also possible that the western blot will pick up HSV 2 where the screening test did not. I think it is the best option for you at this point, clearly.

Terri

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