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What Does My HSV-1 Test Result Indicate?

Posted on Sat, 12 Dec 2015

Question: Hello. After possible exposure to STDs over a year ago, I got tested five times, and am having trouble understanding the results related to HSV-1 (via IGG test). At 2 weeks, I tested positive for HSV-1, but at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 4 months, I tested negative. Since then, I have had no symptoms and no possible exposure, but just decided to test again (almost a year later) for peace of mind, and came up positive! Really need help interpreting these results because they are all over the place, and it seems as though the likelihood of false positives may be greater than I thought.

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
False positives are possible.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thank you for asking HCM.

I have gone through your query. False positives are possible. It should be correlated clinically. If you had out break of symptoms like lesions on lips or oral cavity then it can be considered as positive.

There is nothing to worry about oral herpes (HSV 1). It cannot be always considered as STD also. This can spread by sharing spoons , lip balms etc. Out break of symptoms will come when the body immunity becomes low or in cold climate. It will disappear within some days also.

Let me know if anything not clear. I am happy to help you.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Nishad BN (22 hours later)

Thank you for the quick reply. Since I never had an outbreak to provide a clinical correlation, I thought that I might have had false positive test results, as you stated above. On the other hand, I'd think that 2 out of 5 tests being false is high. I don't have any visibility on statistics for IGG tests, and don't know how often they really are false, so just left wondering whether I have HSV-1 or not. With 3 out of 5 tests showing negative results and zero symptoms well after a year following exposure, are there any conclusions I can really make at this point? Is it more likely that I'm not infected, based on this info, or is it still quite questionable? Just trying to get some understanding of the likelihood so I don't inadvertently transmit the virus to someone else. Many thanks!

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You dont need to worry as more than 80 % of population have this now

Detailed Answer:
Welcome again.

Thank you for your follow up query.

As you had 2 times positive tests it is difficult to say its false positive or not. As you had no clinical illness don't bother about it. More than 80 % of population in US can have this nowadays. So preventive measures for this is not that effective.

Reliability of Igg test with out any clinical symptoms is low. Viral culture is reliable way but it is possible while having lesions.

So no need to worry about this result.

Let me know if anything not clear.
I am happy to help you.
Thanks.

Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina