False Positive – Cross Reactivity?

[Unsureanddepressed]

Hi Terri,

I recently got a full panel std test and was shocked when my HSV1 and HSV2 test came back positive.

HSV1 IgG = 60
HSV2 IgG= 1.3

I am not sure if I ever had cold sores, but sometimes I do get a red bump on my lip that feels itchy and tingly so its possible I just missed the sign because I assumed cold sores had to blister and thats never happened. However, I have never had any bumps or issues on my genitals so I was stunned by the HSV2. I started researching and found out about false positives. I then went back and looked at my results and saw that LabCorp never performed the supplemental confirmatory test because they are out of the needed materials which was even more shocking. I was wondering how likely you think it is that the HSV2 is a false positive because of cross reactivity? FYI: I already ordered a western blot kit, and will be meeting with you this weekend bc I am moving forward with the western blot ASAP. But I am still really concerned and don’t know what to do.

I also don’t know what to say to my potential new partner who I informed about the positive test as soon as I found out.

[Unsureanddepressed]

I also saw somewhere that you mentioned seeing false positives with 1st and 2nd gen immigrants. Can you explain a bit more?

[Terri Warren]

I think there is an excellent chance that this is a false positive – probably 90% chance.
yes, we see high index value false positives in many immigrants – I think probably people who may have lived somewhere else or whose parents did, may have picked up other infections than we have commonly here and those antibody proteins may be what is tripping the IgG with false positive.

Terri

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