Equivocal results, do I need a western clot?

[confused6997]

Good afternoon Terri,

I 23 F recently decided to take a blood test for hsv2. I’ve got no known symptoms aside from ingrown hairs.

I used Labcorp their igg index is:
Negative >.90
Equivocal .91-1.09
Positive >1.09

My result came back equivocal with a 0.95 and the supplemental test came back negative.
I have had no sexual contact in 8 months.
Are equivocal results low positive? I don’t really understand how igg works, does this low amount several months after possible exposure (no exes have it that I know) mean I don’t have it? Can the supplemental test be trusted? Lastly should I take another test? TYIA!

[Terri Warren]

Equivocal results are not low positives, they are neither positive nor negative. But if you have not had sexual contact in 8 months, and you were my patient, I would consider this a negative result. It is also good that the supplemental is negative (we have HUGE problems with the supplemental test being falsely positive). I only had one patient in all of my career who had an equivocal test and a positive western blot.

Terri

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