1. My Herpeselect was 0.01 HSV1 and 0.04 HSV2. I understand that there is no simple correlation between numbers and infection (being above or below the threshold the important thing), but are numbers this low in any way revealing or particularly “confirmatory”?
These are very definitely nice low scores – I have no concerns that these are negative results.
2. Literature says we know very little about those who fail to seroconvert (false negatives) as it is complex to pursue, but is there any information (anecdotal or other) that suggests reasons?
None that I am aware of, no.
What about analogous blood tests for other viruses? What tends to be the reason for non-seroconversion/false negs?
In your own experience, do you see any possible patterns at all?
I don’t see any patterns at all in the very very few patients I have seen that have not seroconverted, no.
3. If one produces IGG for other viruses (example: celiac sprue, mumps, measles) would that be an indication one is likely to produce the appropriate IGG response as used on the Herpes tests?
I don’t know the answer to that. And I’m not sure it is relevant either.
4. Finally, there are quite a few people like me who only have the percentages to work with and fret over the various figures, but I was wondering—on a day-to-day basis, what is the “reality” for you and others you know of around false negatives? Is it a reality for you? Or is it something that in practice doesn’t enter into things?
Well, it is a reality for me in that I have had 9 people who have had this experience. Is that what you are asking me? Are you asking me as I look at western blots am I concerned that they are missing lots of people? No.
If you have something going on every 18 months, very infrequent, I would suggest that you obtain PCR swabs and when you get one of these episodes, swab any lesions present yourself right away and get the swabs back to the lab. You can talk with your provider about this option or our clinic patients can also do this. If you do this, and the PCR swab is negative, then it will be time for you to start believing you have done your absolute best to sort this out and have determined that the best of everyone’s ability, you are negative. At some point, you just have to go with what is known.
Terri