Western Blot Indeterminate / Positive IgG

[oicu]

Hi Terri,

In February, I had a red spot show up on my lip that I thought was a cold sore. Never having a cold sore before I went to the doc and it was tested (PCR) and came back negative.

The spot went away and came back ~10days later, this time I went to get an IGG test with my partner.

Results:

Her – HSV-1 positive, HSV-2 negative
Me (male) – HSV-1 negative, HSV-2 positive (AB >8.0)

This came as quite a shock to me. I’ve never had any symptoms. The nurse said I could have had it for years. I requested a Western Blot to confirm.

My WB came back HSV-1 Negative, HSV-2 Indeterminate. After these results, my nurse said I still could be seroconverting, which confused me. I’ve been with my partner since November, we do have unprotected sex (since November), and I have not slept with anyone else. My WB was drawn on April 2, 2018.

How should I interpret these results? If I go and get another WB in 3-4 weeks and it’s another indeterminate what should I do?

[Terri Warren]

The UW suggests that with an indeterminate you retest in 3 months. If it is again indeterminate, you should consider yourself negative. And with a negative partner, that is even more certain.

Terri

[oicu]

Thanks Terri.

Follow up: Why would my IgG level be so high for HSV-2 (>8.0)? Is it possible my blood trips the test? The test was done by ACM lab.

[Terri Warren]

We don’t fully understand the false positives for HSV 2. And we truly do not understand the high IgG values with indeterminate or negative western blot tests. But the western blot is the reliable test.

Terri

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