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First “false positive”?

› Forums › Herpes Questions › First “false positive”?

  • This topic has 23 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 1 week, 3 days ago by Terri Warren.
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    • October 8, 2020 at 6:54 pm #71382
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      1. In the past, I have consistently tested negative but the last HSV-2 test I got went to inhibition (there was no IGG value provided as the test results were incomplete) and came back negative. The results said this could a false positive unless there was a recent exposure. Is it possible to consistently test negative (Questlabs) and to get true false positive? Or is this the sign of an infection, in your clnical experience?

      2. This HSV-2 test was about three weeks from the last time I had sex with a partner who tested negative in June. Could that have been a false negative? Would I be seeing an increase in antibodies 3 weeks later (enough to trigger inhibition)?

      3. About two weeks before the HSV-2 test, a partner licked his fingers and digitally penetrated me. We then cuddled naked (our genitals did not touch but our thighs did). My vagina was resting on his hip area. Is this a high risk exposure for HSV-2? Could I have had enough antibodies from that encounter to trigger the inhibition test?

    • October 8, 2020 at 7:52 pm #71383
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      For clarity, here are the results I received. I’m not sure if the inhibition test was run actually. Can you please let me know what happened here? Did they test once, found antibodies, then tested again, did not find antibodies and thus did not run the inhibition test?:

      HSV 2 IGG INHIBITION, IA SEE COMMENT TXC
      The HSV-2 IgG screening assay was repeated at
      Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease and the
      result was negative; thus the Inhibition result
      could not be determined. If early HSV-2 infection
      is suspected, submission of another sample
      collected 2-3 weeks after this sample is
      recommended.
      REFERENCE RANGE: NEGATIVE

      This assay is intended only for samples giving a
      positive index in the HSV-2 type-specific IgG
      screening assay. A POSITIVE inhibition
      interpretation indicates true HSV-2 specific
      reactivity, whereas a NEGATIVE inhibition
      interpretation suggests that the positive
      screening index is falsely positive.

    • October 12, 2020 at 12:13 pm #71419
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      So was there previously a positive IgG test from Quest? Is that why the inhibition assay was done? If not, and it was simply ordered as a matter of course, then I wouldn’t worry about it. They can’t do the inhibition assay IF the IgG is negative.
      The sexual contact that you did have does not present a risk for acquisition of herpes.

      Terri

    • October 12, 2020 at 12:27 pm #71424
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      There has never been a positive test in the past, no. I misread the results, there was no inhibition test.

      My partner who tested positive in June clarified that he was exclusive with me until we broke up at the end of August.

      The partner who kissed me and penetrated me digitally without licking his fingers has HSV-1 but I don’t know about his HSV-2 status. Can I get HSV-2 orally from kissing him? We made out a few times, maybe 10 seconds each time.

      Is the result I posted above seen in early infections? Is this something you have seen in people who went on to test negative? Do you have patients who are negative who HSV-2, who test negative usually, and then have something like this happen? I googled and I haven’t really seen this test result described online except for a few posts here and on Reddit.

    • October 12, 2020 at 4:51 pm #71434
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      I have never heard of a case of transmission of HSV 2 by kissing. HSV 2 doesn’t like the oral area at all and if it is infected there, it rarely recurs or sheds.
      If people who have new herpes test too early, yes, they can test negative prior to testing positive, but your risks are really low. I don’t think the situation is likely any different than previous herpes antibody testing. You are just seeing the inhibition assay language and maybe it is worrying you unnecessarily.

      Terri

      • This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by Terri Warren.
    • October 13, 2020 at 12:44 pm #71447
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      My doctor told me that I should get re-tested. Do you agree?

      Is this lab result common? I don’t see anyone else really posting this sort of result.

      If oral HSV-2 is not spread by kissing, how do people get it?

    • October 14, 2020 at 8:21 am #71452
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      Sorry, partner from June-August tested negative, not positive. Second person (kissing, cuddling, digital penetration after licking finger) has HSV-1 but I don’t know his HSV-2 status.

    • October 17, 2020 at 12:28 pm #71478
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      This is not a common result because I don’t know of anyone who orders an inhibition assay without a positive IgG test first. If the second person only did kissing, cuddling, fingers, then HSV 2 is not a risk.

      Terri

    • October 18, 2020 at 9:00 am #71497
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      Well I think what happened was they tested the sample once, found something, then tested again and found nothing. The lab report is incomplete and left out the index value. Am I more likely to have a false positive in the future since I had one this time around?

    • October 19, 2020 at 12:30 pm #71508
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      Yes, once someone has had one false positive, you may have another. You should be looking for an index value of greater than 3.5

      Terri

    • October 28, 2020 at 8:44 am #71566
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      Terry,

      I had a repeat IGG HSV-2 test on 10/23 and the result was .93 (equivocal). This is 8 weeks out from my last sexual encounter with a partner who tested negative, and this follows the false positive result (described earlier in the thread).

      What are the chances that this is a false positive? I kind of want to move on from this but I guess I need some reassurance/statistics to feel better about this.

      Thank you for all that you do, I truly appreciate it.

    • October 29, 2020 at 7:01 am #71570
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      To be more precise, this test with the equivocal result (.93, with <.90 being negative) was done at 8 weeks and 5 days from the last time I had sex with my ex. We both got tested and were negative in June. I don’t understand why I’m getting such strange results. Do you think this is something to be concerned about still, given the earlier false positive? Have you seen seroconversion at 9-12 weeks with such a low number at ~9 weeks? My doctor said she thinks it’s just another false positive but I feel like I’m going crazy agonizing over this.

    • October 30, 2020 at 6:47 pm #71600
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      I have never seen someone seroconvert at 9 weeks, but then, I ask the people don’t do the blot until it’s been 12 weeks since a concerning encounter so I’m not sure. But if you are at 0.93 at 9 weeks out, I strongly suspect that you are not positive. Once a person has a false positive, they are highly likely to have it again. If you keep testing with the IgG test, I believe you are likely to get these kinds of results most every time.

      You have one post remaining

      Terri

      • This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by Terri Warren.
    • April 13, 2021 at 11:09 am #73265
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      As a follow-up, I tested negative twice since this posting.

      I’m concerned because I had a ultrasound of my ovaries done and they used a wand with a condom. There was a condom on the wand when I came into the room, and the tech didn’t put a new one on and I’m afraid I can get herpes from it.

      Supposing the condom was used and the lubricant had dried and it wasn’t apparent to the tech, could I get herpes from it?

    • April 26, 2021 at 11:32 am #73341
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      I am 100% certain that a new condom was used on the wand – nothing else makes any sense at all.

      Terri

    • January 23, 2022 at 4:49 pm #76314
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      The guy I am seeing got tested and he was negative but I didn’t understand until after we had become intimate that it was 3 weeks after his last encounter. I performed oral sex on him. He rubbed his genitals on my vagina and maybe inserted it a centimeter (total contact with vagina was about 2-3 seconds). Is this a high risk encounter?

      Are these results basically useless until 6 weeks out?

    • January 23, 2022 at 5:13 pm #76315
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      Following up on my earlier questions i posted today

      To provide context, there was a single encounter with a woman of unknown status. Is he at a lot of risk of having contracted the virus with a single instance of intercourse? What if it were 2-4 times?

      Would someone in the process of seroconversion have a negative test at 3 weeks or do you usually see the titer starting to creep up towards positive at that time?

    • January 23, 2022 at 9:42 pm #76317
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      Following up to #76314 and #76315 we plan to wait and test him again at 6 weeks. If the result is still negative and the titer numbers are not creeping up, can I put my fears to rest? If a person is going to be positive, would he have an equivocal result at 6 weeks?

    • January 28, 2022 at 3:46 pm #76354
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      Do you know if he used a condom with this other person? If yes, then I think a single encounter is really low risk. But wise to wait until 6 weeks out to test. Just to put your mind at rest. This seems to be quite a concern for you.

      Terri

    • February 18, 2022 at 6:07 am #76551
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      Terry,

      The person he was with tested negative. We got him tested at 6 weeks and he was also negative. I stupidly had sex without a condom with him twice and it was dry sex with some tearing so I’m concerned that I put myself at serious risk. I am worried that he or his other partner could be in the process of seroconversion. Could I still get herpes in this scenario? What is the likelihood?

    • February 18, 2022 at 10:26 am #76553
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      In addition to the question above, I had two more questions.

      1. When my partner got tested at 6 weeks, he said the clinician there told him that due to our understanding of viral load enhanced by COVID research, 4 weeks is the new standard rather than 6. Is this true? Have you seen this in the literature?

      2. We are broken up now but I have asked him to get tested again in 2 weeks. He said he it is unreasonable but that he would consider it. That would put him at 9 weeks out. What degree of certainty could I have in that case?

    • February 19, 2022 at 4:48 pm #76599
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      If the other partner tested negative, and it’s accurate, you are not at risk of acquiring HSV 2.
      I have never seen any reduction of time needed to wait. UW is holding fast at 12 weeks for the blot, but it takes longer to become positive than the IgG test.
      If he tests negative at 9 weeks out, I think you can be quite clear that he is not infected.
      This has really gotten a bit out of control, don’t you think? To ask him to test again since you’ve broken up? I wouldn’t be surprised if he said no.

      Terri

    • May 8, 2022 at 5:02 pm #77353
      Scaredscaredscared
      Spectator

      He tested at 9 weeks out and was negative. I tested 6 weeks out and was negative. Is there a chance that he could have been positive and not seroconverted? What is the accuracy of the test 9 weeks out?

      Today I saw a single white spot on my clitoris. It is flat, not raised like a pimple and is white, not clear. I feel like I randomly had burning around my pubis bone area. Does this sound like herpes? I went to urgent care and he said he didn’t think it looked like herpes but ordered tests when I asked.

    • May 9, 2022 at 8:41 am #77376
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      At 6 weeks out, the IgG picks up 70& of people who are or will be positive.
      Did the person at urgent care swab the white spot?

      Terri

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