Conflicting test results. Help!

[law123]

Hello. I recently got a STD screening on 4/21/17 and had some conflicting results. I already have HSV-1, which was from a very long time ago. I am confused regarding recent test results for HSV-2.

 

The HSV-2 IGM test came out with a result of 0.93 which put me in the "equivocal" range. (Negative: 0-0.79, Equivocal: 0.80-1.09, Positive: 1.10+).

The HSV-2 IGG test (same labwork result) came back negative with a result of 0.60. (Negative: less than 0.90, Equivocal: 0.91-1.09, Positive: 1.10+).

 

I was confused and a bit depressed. Does this mean I got infected with HSV-2? The PA told me that the IGM test suggests I was exposed to it recently. She told me to come back and retest in a week (so 2 weeks from when I got blood drawn on 4/21). I later read online that the IGM test is not very reliable and that it is not really able to distinguish HSV 1 and 2.

I just got these results this morning. After doing more research online I stumbled upon a nearby testing clinic for HSV-2 that claims to be more accurate than the IGM test.

 

I went to the STD test clinic where they drew some blood (from finger) and did a HSV-2 Immunoassay antibody to gG-2 test where he said I was negative.

 

Am I in the clear? Should I go back to the original clinic next week to retest? I am also wondering if I should find a different doctor after this. Also, since I've been doing more research online it seems like IGM test does not differentiate between HSV 1 and 2, so how does this lab have an IGM test for HSV 2? It also had an IGM test for HSV-1 but that was negative.

[camilo]

I'm not a doctor but from everything I've read I GM is completely under reliable if you got a negative on the IGG you should be fine. It does depend on when you get tested thiugh, it usually takes some weeks for the antibodies to respond.

[HikingGirl]

Consider yourself negative. If you're concerned you've been exposed to herpes recently, you can retest with the IgG in 16 weeks. The IgG tests detect antibodies you produce in response to the virus. How soon these antibodies are detected vary by person. At the 16 week mark, pretty much everyone with HSV2 will test positive for it if they've been infected.