HSV2 result

[teacup1]

Hello,
I had a sexual encounter on nov 5th and a week after my menstrual period and during my ovulation cycle ( around the 11th-17th) I started showing symptoms of trichomoniasis. I was also searching up hsv symptoms and looked for sore or lesions and never found any. I did not have any burning or tingling but I did experience slight discomfort and a foul runny discharge smell that lasted for a day or two. I went to an urgent care to test for std’s and she assured me that it would be weird if I came back positive for hsv 2 but that if I wanted to, I could test for it anyways. She did a swab test and didn’t see anything abnormal except discharge and suggested I’d do a blood test. She told me that my results would take 3-5 days and she would not prescribe me anything until she was for sure. Fast forward two days later I get my results back and I’m positive for trichomoniasis, negative for hsv 1, and have a low index level of 1.17 for hsv 2. The results stated that I do a confirmatory test but she’s almost for sure that I hsv2. I asked her was it common to test positive for both and she said it was not and very rare but that it does happen. I’ve been searching up how common it is to get both and have not found anything yet.At this point I’m very confused because I feel fine and had only been showing symptoms of trichomoniasis especially with abdominal pain. I was wondering if I should test again for hsv 2 just to be sure? Could the trichomoniasis have a potential affect on my test?

[Terri Warren]

Your provider is apparently unaware of the CDC guidance regarding HSV 2 testing. It should not be done at all if there are no symptoms of lesions of herpes. And if a low positive is obtained, it should be confirmed with a better test. AT an index value of 1.17, there is a 90% chance that this is a false positive. It is incredibly common for people to have both HSV 1 and 2. There are also false positives on the confirmatory tests from Quest and LabCorp. The other problem with this scenario is that you tested too soon for accuracy for HSV anyway.
You may wish to repeat the IgG test in 6 weeks and see what you get, now that this can of worms has been opened.

I’m sorry this experience was so inappropriate.

Terri

[teacup1]

Hello :),

So I did get retested about a week ago and the results came back as negative. I was confused on how this was possible so I called my doctor. She told me that it would only show up as positive if I’m having an outbreak but that it’s “dormant” and that I still have it and can pass it. Is this true or have you heard of this occurring? I find it very odd.

[Terri Warren]

Again, your doctor is way off base.
The cutoff for positive is 1.1 (anything that or above they call positive)
The cutoff for negative is below 0.91 That is a very very close set of numbers and its just an arbitrary cutoff for both. I see people all the time who test very low positive then negative then equivocal. The range is just so very tight!
We have no idea at this time if you really have HSV 2 but I would put a lot of money on NO. The western blot will tell you. AT 1.1 to 1.5, there is an 85% chance the test is a false positive. Once again, I’m shocked that your doctor doesn’t know this and also doesn’t know the recommendation for a confirmatory test. Very sad.

Terri

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