Sage-Tips

What does HSV-2 IgG positive mean?

A positive result means that the patient has an HSV infection. The patient may be experiencing an initial outbreak or a recurrent outbreak from a past infection. Test results may also include the type of HSV identified in the sample.

What does it mean if you have HSV-2 antibodies?

This test is done to detect if a person has been infected with the herpes simplex virus (I or II). This test does not detect the virus itself. If antibodies to the virus are present, the person has been infected with herpes simplex at some point in his or her life.

What does it mean if HSV-1 IgG is high?

If you test positive for IgG and IgM, or just IgM, it’s likely that you have a new infection. If you test positive for IgG but not IgM, you likely have an existing infection that has been around for at least two months.

What does HSV equivocal mean?

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and/or 2 Antibodies, IgM. Less than 0.90: Negative. 0.90 – 1.09 IV: Equivocal – Repeat testing in 10-14 days may be helpful. Greater than 1.09: Positive – May indicate a current or recent infection.

What does a high HSV 2 result mean?

Positive/Abnormal. It may mean you have an active infection (you currently have sores), or were infected in the past (you have no sores). If you tested positive for HSV, talk to your health care provider. While there is no cure for herpes, it hardly ever causes serious health problems.

What is a low positive for HSV 2?

If HSV-2 IgG type specific antibodies patient results fall between 0.91 (equivocal) and 5.00 (low positive) index values, the specimen will reflex to HSV-2 supplemental test per CDC guidelines.

Can a HSV 2 blood test be wrong?

False positive results can occur with many diagnostic tests, including STD tests. The chances of false positive results increase as the likelihood of the infection decreases in the person being tested. False positive HSV-2 results can happen, especially in people who are at low risk for a herpes infection.

What is a positive HSV-2 result?

If your test result is positive, it can mean that you have an active herpes infection without symptoms. It can also mean that you had an HSV infection in the past. The antibody blood test is not as reliable as culturing a sample from a herpes sore.

What is a low positive for HSV-2?

The HSV 2 blood test has also been known to create false positive results from time to time. If this blood test is positive, but you do not have any known genital herpes outbreaks, did not have a positive culture test, and did not have a positive PCR result, then an immunoblot test may be necessary to confirm a diagnosis.

Are IgM tests for HSV-2 accurate?

According to the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA), IgM tests can lead to deceptive results, as well as false assumptions about how and when a person acquired HSV. And that’s not all: IgM tests fail to accurately distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies, leading them to provide false-positive results for HSV-2.

What if I test positive for herpes type 1 but negative 2?

Basically, if you test positive for herpes type 1 and negative for 2 that does not mean you don’t have genital herpes. You could be carrying herpes type 1 in the mouth, the genitals, or in both places.

What is a high HSV2 immunoblot test result?

If the immunoblot test is given, a test result that is higher than 1.1 is generally considered to be a strong indication of the presence of herpes. The issue with HSV 2 is that it can spread even when safe sex measures are taken.