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I took the IGG test for HSV1 and 2 2 weeks after I believed I was exposed to HSV1. The results came back negative for HSV2 but positive for HSV1 with an index value of 3.87. Not wanting to believe the results I took the Western Blot 6 weeks later. The results for HSV1 and 2 came back negative. My doctor insisted that the infection had to be old since it showed up so quickly on the IGG but if it was already an established infection why didn’t it show up on the Western Blot? It’s been 6 months now and I have not experienced an type of outbreak. Should I assume that I don’t have herpes or should I take the Western Blot again since I didn’t wait 3-6 months to take it the first time?

Hi so I have some questions , i went to the dr 1 day after seeing sores downthere , I got the doctor to swab it and she said she doesn’t think it’s herpes but it could be .. so she swabbed the area and did a blood and urine test for all STD , these were fresh , like very fresh flat ulcer looking sores they were also small, I thought there were from stretching after sex I had sex with condom and without maybe a week before. Anyways the doctor uploaded my test results online and they were all negative except chlamydia , she called me and let me know that one was positive and to tell all my past partners to get tested . Then days later I log onto my chart and see the HSV 1&2 were positive , she didn’t even call to tell me and I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t check... She told me it’s not necessary to tell past partners and there’s no way I can know who gave this to me even though I’m pretty sure the guy I’m dating gave it to me. I finished my 10 day antivirals and she told me I don’t need to go on antiviral therapy or anything because the swab was negative.. it’s been a month since I finished and I haven’t had an out break even with my period .... what does this mean? She’s not really giving me answers I also got a second opinion from a doctor who told me my levels were low and to come back to be tested again... this is all very confusing to me. Anyone have any advice or gone through similar ?

Hi all, I had my first outbreak of genital herpes (HSV-2) last month, and while it cleared up after a 10 day acyclovir prescription, it flared up again this month after a week of itching that I assumed was part of healing (but appeared 90% less than my first OB). My partner has never showed any visible symptoms so the clinic dismissed it as him being ‘clean’. However I am doubtful as I had my outbreak just days after intercourse with him & believe he may be asymptomatic. Since my clinic has been nonchalant & having had to self-refill my acyclovir prescription for my second OB, I’ve decided to go in for an Igg blood test with my partner after much research. My swabs have been tested positive but will the Igg test help me determine if my exposure has been recent based on the results? Thank you!

I've been reading up on different blood test types. I keep coming across IgM and IgG, but also have heard about Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) . I would like to know what the difference is between these types of blood tests. What are the main practical differences between the types of testing, the benefits/costs of each? I've come across different suggestions and I am trying to find the most reliable tests. Here is one turned me off of IgM "IgM tests are not recommended because of three serious problems: Many assume that if a test discovers IgM, they have recently acquired herpes. However, research shows that IgM can reappear in blood tests in up to a third of people during recurrences, while it will be negative in up to half of persons who recently acquired herpes but have culture-document first episodes. Therefore, IgM tests can lead to deceptive test results, as well as false assumptions about how and when a person actually acquired HSV. For this reason, we do not recommend using blood tests as a way to determine how long a person has had herpes. Unfortunately, most people who are diagnosed will not be able to determine how long they have had the infection. In addition, IgM tests cannot accurately distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies, and thus very easily provide a false positive result for HSV-2. This is important in that most of the adult population in the U.S. already has antibodies to HSV-1, the primary cause of oral herpes. A person who only has HSV-1 may receive a false positive for HSV-2. IgM tests sometimes cross-react with other viruses in the same family, such as varicella zoster virus (VZV) which causes chickenpox or cytomegalovirus (CMV) which causes mono, meaning that positive results may be misleading." What are you experiences here? The details of this analysis go over my head but does anyone know whether the general summary is correct: that IgM tests are worst than IgG tests?