Two equivocal tests

[Explorelife99]

Hi Terri,

During the first week of June, I had what I believed was an initial herpes outbreak. I had a cluster of pimple like red bumps form on my shaft and random single dots and one other cluster form. They accompanied no other symptoms. They had slight itch but no pain, no urinating pain, no flu like symptoms and never opened up but simply disappeared after roughly 8 weeks.

9 weeks after my initial symptoms I went and got a Quest Diagnostics IGG test. This test returned .99 equivocal. 5 weeks later (14 weeks from initial symptoms) I took a IGM HSV year from Quest, which returned negative results. Then 2 weeks later (16 weeks from initial symptoms) I took another IGG test from Quest this time returning a .91 equivocal result.

Since that time I have had no other symptoms. I’ve had a couple small pimple like bumps appear but they disappear in a couple of days. I’m unsure how to interpret these results. On one hand I’m unsure how my initials symptoms could be anything other than HSV but on the other hand I’m shocked I haven’t produced a single positive test. Any guidance or explanation would be greatly appreciated. My DR has few answers which has caused uncertainty in how I should proceed.

[Terri Warren]

Herpes outbreaks don’t last for 8 weeks. And they almost always open up and make an ulceration. Of course I cannot say for sure over the internet, but I doubt that these were herpes lesions, from your description.

You could do the western blot to get greater clarity about the equivocal results if you are still worried, but I really suspect, from what you’ve said, that this was not a herpes outbreak.

Was any swab testing done of the lesions? Have you taken any antiviral medication?

Terri

[Explorelife99]

Unfortunately no swab was done at the time lesions were present. I have not taken any antiviral medication which was why I was confused about a second equivocal result. I figured maybe 9 weeks after first symptoms appeared may have been too soon and was the reason for the first equivocal result, but the second test was taken 16 weeks after initial symptoms.

[Terri Warren]

If you got an equivocal result 16 weeks after the initial concerning symptoms, it is highly likely that this represents a negative result. I have only had one person with an equivocal result test positive on the western blot in my whole career. And I’ve had many people with equivocal results request the western blot be done.

Terri

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