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Is Pregnancy Possible Through Protected Intercourse After Menstruation?
Question: I was intimate with someone x2 with someone who has HSV I & II. After the first time I was tested for Igm IgG HSV I and IgM HSV II. I was negative for both <.1 HSV I. For HSV II negative 0.57 with positive being >1.10 and equivocal being .9-1.09 and negative < 0.89. I am wondering without symptoms if it's cause for concern with the number being 0.57. Precautions were taken, and I realize the number can be raised from other viruses not simply HSVII. And I do not have symptoms. Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Considerations
Detailed Answer:
Hello & thank you for submitting your question to Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern regarding these values.
Laboratory tests can definitely be tricky to interpret sometimes. For the most part, and for many tests especially those using immunologic methods (as does this HSV test), patients will often resulted with some numerical but not an absolute zero value.
This is why "negative" is very rarely associated with a 0.0 value and is more often "less than #.##" (in this case, <0.89).
The way these values are established is by using control populations (= people with known & confirmed HSV and people without HSV) and highly sensitive methods to establish that the samples are HSV positive or negative.
Then, a threshold will be determined for negative and positive using these known samples. These numerical values are then used for future testing in patients.
Since your value is below the threshold for positive and even equivocal (i.e., yours is negative), you can trust this value as representing a negative value for IgM .
Do not hesitate to bring these concerns up with your physician in the future.
I hope this helps answer your question and may provide you a little peace of mind.
Be well,
Dr Galamaga
Considerations
Detailed Answer:
Hello & thank you for submitting your question to Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern regarding these values.
Laboratory tests can definitely be tricky to interpret sometimes. For the most part, and for many tests especially those using immunologic methods (as does this HSV test), patients will often resulted with some numerical but not an absolute zero value.
This is why "negative" is very rarely associated with a 0.0 value and is more often "less than #.##" (in this case, <0.89).
The way these values are established is by using control populations (= people with known & confirmed HSV and people without HSV) and highly sensitive methods to establish that the samples are HSV positive or negative.
Then, a threshold will be determined for negative and positive using these known samples. These numerical values are then used for future testing in patients.
Since your value is below the threshold for positive and even equivocal (i.e., yours is negative), you can trust this value as representing a negative value for IgM .
Do not hesitate to bring these concerns up with your physician in the future.
I hope this helps answer your question and may provide you a little peace of mind.
Be well,
Dr Galamaga
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Thank you, I am a nurse and do understand the results negative and all that but the thing with me is that any sort of practical reason goes out the window when it comes to me and my health. It's so hard too when you've developed feelings for someone who has this illness and it's something I don't want to contract. So what you're really dealing with is an OCD RN whose reasoning who would say something similar to what you told me goes out the door when it's applied to me. XXXXXXX
How safe do you feel it is to be intimate with someone who has HSV I/II. He says he feels oddly very specific nail pain near the cuticles a week prior to a break out. and that they happen every three years.
Also, would you recommend the retest (I'm OCD so I probably will regardless lol) but approximately how far out from last sexual contact with this person? I've read 6 weeks but I've also read as late as 12 weeks. What is your opinion on the matter?
How safe do you feel it is to be intimate with someone who has HSV I/II. He says he feels oddly very specific nail pain near the cuticles a week prior to a break out. and that they happen every three years.
Also, would you recommend the retest (I'm OCD so I probably will regardless lol) but approximately how far out from last sexual contact with this person? I've read 6 weeks but I've also read as late as 12 weeks. What is your opinion on the matter?
Brief Answer:
Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Again, I can completely understand your concern about these values. It's especially tough for health care professionals like ourselves who see behind the scenes in medicine.
As you know and as difficult as it may be, avoiding intimate contact is the only safe way to avoid contacting HSV. The risks of contraction increase when the person is experiencing any symptoms.
Many people are positive for HSV1 and are often asymptomatic--we often acquire the virus during childhood, getting kissed by a relative with a cold sore or sharing drinks with friends. HSV2 is often managed well with anti-viral medications .
But certainly the most ideal situation for optimal health is to avoid contracting the virus.
It would be very reasonable to request follow up repeat labs in about 3 months. Then, you can see if there are changes or trends in your exposure antibody (IgM) versus your long-term immunologic response antibody (IgG).
Finally, the most sensitive testing would actually be by molecular methods, which give a direct measure of the detection of the virus (or its absence, as may be in your case).
These might be questions to being up with your doctor during a future visit if your repeat IgM/IgG values are still concerning.
Again, I completely understand your concern about this situation.
For now, your lab values are negative which is the best part .
I wish you all the best and good health.
Dr Galamaga
Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Again, I can completely understand your concern about these values. It's especially tough for health care professionals like ourselves who see behind the scenes in medicine.
As you know and as difficult as it may be, avoiding intimate contact is the only safe way to avoid contacting HSV. The risks of contraction increase when the person is experiencing any symptoms.
Many people are positive for HSV1 and are often asymptomatic--we often acquire the virus during childhood, getting kissed by a relative with a cold sore or sharing drinks with friends. HSV2 is often managed well with anti-viral medications .
But certainly the most ideal situation for optimal health is to avoid contracting the virus.
It would be very reasonable to request follow up repeat labs in about 3 months. Then, you can see if there are changes or trends in your exposure antibody (IgM) versus your long-term immunologic response antibody (IgG).
Finally, the most sensitive testing would actually be by molecular methods, which give a direct measure of the detection of the virus (or its absence, as may be in your case).
These might be questions to being up with your doctor during a future visit if your repeat IgM/IgG values are still concerning.
Again, I completely understand your concern about this situation.
For now, your lab values are negative which is the best part .
I wish you all the best and good health.
Dr Galamaga
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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