Negative for HSV-2 and "indeterminate" for HSV-1 at 8 weeks.

[ill47]

How worried should I be about the "indeterminate" part? I got tested again at 12 weeks but not results back yet. Also, how likely is genital to genital HSV-1 transmission? Because the contact in question did not include oral.

Edited November 4, 2018 by ill47

[WilsoInAus]

Hey @ill47

I'm quite worried about what test you have had here? Certainly not a Herpeselect test. Do you have a printout of it? Question whether it was actually an IgG test. I have only really seen indeterminate associated with Westernblot (that comes with a lot of antibody band information) and immunoblot style testing that is kind of like a pregnancy kit, look for the pink dot!

In terms of an indeterminate HSV-1 reading, there are three possibilities:

1. Rogue proteins causing an elevated outcome.
2. Childhood HSV-1 oral infection and you test at low IgG antibody levels
3. Slow seroconverting, pretty rare most infected people record a strong result after 8 weeks.

What is exceptionally rare is not having lesions upon a primary infection of HSV-1 genitally - usually no doubt whatsoever.

[ill47]

4 hours ago, WilsoInAus said:

Hey @ill47

I'm quite worried about what test you have had here? Certainly not a Herpeselect test. Do you have a printout of it? Question whether it was actually an IgG test. I have only really seen indeterminate associated with Westernblot (that comes with a lot of antibody band information) and immunoblot style testing that is kind of like a pregnancy kit, look for the pink dot!

In terms of an indeterminate HSV-1 reading, there are three possibilities:

1. Rogue proteins causing an elevated outcome.
2. Childhood HSV-1 oral infection and you test at low IgG antibody levels
3. Slow seroconverting, pretty rare most infected people record a strong result after 8 weeks.

What is exceptionally rare is not having lesions upon a primary infection of HSV-1 genitally - usually no doubt whatsoever.

You're quite worried? Lol, calm down.

Yes I have a print out, it's an Immunoblot igg test. It says HSV-2 negative and HSV-1 indeterminate. It says "Band patterns do not allow accurate readings for HSV-1. Confirmatory testing is recommended in 4 to 6 weeks with a second serum sample." 

Edited November 5, 2018 by ill47

[ill47]

Also, i misspoke. The test I have results for was at 9 weeks, not 8. 

[ill47]

What are sensitivity and specificity in these tests?

[WilsoInAus]

That’s only relevant at 12 weeks.

For recent infections, detection is 95-100%.

[ill47]

21 minutes ago, WilsoInAus said:

That’s only relevant at 12 weeks.

For recent infections, detection is 95-100%.

What is only relevant at 12 weeks?

[ill47]

What is the difference between sensitivity and specificity? Anyone know? Like some tests have stronger one than the other. What does that mean?

[WilsoInAus]

The accuracy of the test.

[ill47]

2 minutes ago, WilsoInAus said:

The accuracy of the test.

I have no idea what you are saying or referring to. "The accuracy of the test." Okay... what? What about the accuracy of the test?

[WilsoInAus]

Techies might use fancy terms, but what pragmatically we need to know is:

- what’s the chance of detecting an infection

- what’s the chance of a false positive.

At 12 weeks, a HSV-1 will be positive for 95-100% of infections.

Falae positives? Not sure, looks like somewhere between 10-25% of tests may have a false positive for people who are negative.

[ill47]

11 minutes ago, WilsoInAus said:

Techies might use fancy terms, but what pragmatically we need to know is:

- what’s the chance of detecting an infection

- what’s the chance of a false positive.

At 12 weeks, a HSV-1 will be positive for 95-100% of infections.

Falae positives? Not sure, looks like somewhere between 10-25% of tests may have a false positive for people who are negative.

And at 9 weeks?

[WilsoInAus]

That’s over 90%, the last 10%seem to spread from weeks 8-12.

[ill47]

1 minute ago, WilsoInAus said:

That’s over 90%, the last 10%seem to spread from weeks 8-12.

K, thanks. By the way, sensitivity refers to chances of a false negative and specificity to false positive.