positive pcr then negative swa

[hypochondria]

Hello,

A few weeks ago, I had symptoms of herpes and went and got tested for it through a urine pcr which showed positive for hsv2 along with others such as ureaplasma and mycoplasma, the day after I went to another doctor and got the lesion swabbed even though it was starting to heal and the swab was negative. My Igg is 150 for hsv1 and negative for hsv2 9 weeks and 10 weeks post exposure, my question is: Could the first urine pcr be wrong?

[hypochondria]

Hi Terri,

Any news? Also please note that the second urine sample didn’t show mycoplasma which made me question the first urine sample given that the PCR swab didn’t pick it up either. appreciate your help. Should I get an IGG again at 12 weeks?

[Terri Warren]

Urine PCR is not a standard method of testing for herpes at all. Where was this done? So had a sore in the genital area? Do you have a history of cold sores to account for your HSV 1 positive IgG test? I have to say I have never seen an IgG anywhere near 150 in my career before. is this the same lab that did the urine PCR?

You could get a final IgG test at 12 weeks out, but I’m guessing it will be the same as the 9-week result.

Terri

[hypochondria]

Hi Terri,

The sore was on the genital area and a urine PCR was recommended.
I do not have a history of cold sores.
The Igg for hsv1 to be exact was 147.8 with the ref range being <20 as negative and >25 as positive, and an Igg for hsv2 as 8 considered as negative, both in the same lab where the first urine sample was done. hsv2 antibodies was repeated alone in another lab as 0.4 considered also as negative where the reference range was >0.9 as positive, with a negative swab when the sore was there but started to heal.
If I get an Igg at 12 weeks that would be negative, would that confirm that I don’t have hsv2?

Thanks,

[hypochondria]

any news?

[Terri Warren]

I have a feeling that you are not in the US. But now that I know the reference ranges for wherever you are, it seems that your HSV 1 is strongly positive. Your HSV 2 appears to be quite negative. I just don’t know what to make of that urine PCR. This is not a standard practice in the US as herpes is not often in the urethra.

Terri

[hypochondria]

Doctor has mentioned that some people never show antibodies for 2, is this true?

I have now taken one at 13 weeks that is still negative, should I repeat at 6 months? or it should have showed by now?

When you say it’s not commonly found in the urethra, does that mean that a urine PCR can mix between type 1 and 2 due to the fact that it was analyzed from urine?

[Terri Warren]

very very few people never make antibody but the IgG test is not as good at detecting it as the western blot.

A negative IgG at 13 weeks is about 92% accurate as compared to the gold standard western blot

As I mentioned, I am completely unfamiliar with the accuracy of urine PCR, sorry

Terri

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