Reply To: Low positive then negative retest–long seroconversion period?

[CluelessinCali]

Ok thank you. The NP that ordered the positive and first negative test told me three months ago that she couldn’t explain the results and that I should assume I have HSV-2.

I’m resorting to writing you because I wanted the opinion of a subject matter expert.

I just got my retest results following possible exposure 7 months ago. To recap, I had a negative in Sept. 2022, a 1.17 IgG with positive supplemental on December 7, 2022 (different values from above original question –looked up the result values today), a 1.21 IgG with a negative supplemental two weeks later on December 25th, 2022.

Today’s result was 1.04 IgG with a negative supplemental.

Possible exposure: August 2022
September 2022: Negative
December 7, 2022: 1.17 IgG positive supplemental.
December, 25, 2022: 1.21 IgG negative supplemental.
March 26, 2023 retest: 1.04 IgG negative supplemental

1) Would you say I’m in the clear after a confounding possible false positive followed by two negatives? Is it safe to assume, considering that I am asymptomatic so far, that I do not have HSV-2 following a false positive and the two negative tests within seven months of the possible exposure?

2) What would cause the antibody activity in the first place if I’m not positive? What would explain the presence of the antibodies and the jumping around of antibody levels detected if I’m not positive? I seem to remember having my flu shot close in time (maybe same day or same week) to the “positive” HSV-2 blood draw. And while unrelated, I was also erroneously misdiagnosed with celiac disease and avoided gluten down to the molecular level (impossible) for two years following a false positive gluten antibody IgG, so I have some type of history of this (also possibly forced by taking the flu shot too close to the gluten antibody blood draw or having a positive ANA force the false positive on celiac disease IgG test).

I appreciate your sage guidance. Thank you!