Question:
I have my test results and hope someone can help me decipher them.
I understand that the numbers will help tell you how long you have possibly had herpes, so I will post them below, thank you to anyone that can help me understand them!
The test I had taken was a blood test called:
HSV 1 & 2 IGG
Herpes Select type specific antibody

Herpes #1 was 3.95
Herpes #2 was greater than 5

Those are the numbers, does this help tell me how long the virus has been in my system? This blood test was during an outbreak (my first as far as I know) and while I was on Famvir.
Thanks again!

Answer:
No, the numbers don't indicate how long you've had the virus.

Based on your numbers though.. it looks like you are positive for herpes type-1 and herpes type-2.

Is that what you were trying to figure out?

Angela :wink:

Answer:
I posted these numbers on another site and an RN responded (Terri Warren) and she said that these numbers indicate the virus has been in my system for awhile.
This was a tremendous help to me, I have only been with two men this year, one was recent the other was over 3 months ago. So now I know who it was that gave it to me.
These are the antibody numbers and yes, they can indicate whether the infection is recent or not. In some cases, if the infection is too recent it won't even show up in a blood test yet. Because my antibody numbers were so high, she said I had to have had it in my system for several months, it was not a recent infection.
Thanks for your response.

Answer:
I posted these numbers on another site and an RN responded (Terri Warren) and she said that these numbers indicate the virus has been in my system for awhile. Are you sure that is what she said? That doesn't sound like something she would say because those numbers can and do fluctuate. The numbers don't always stay the same. I do know that 1.0 and up means a positive result.

I was under the impression from Terri Warren that the only way to know if an infection is recent or not is to have a positive herpes culture and a negative herpes type specific antibody test. That is what Terri has always told me personally.

This was a tremendous help to me, I have only been with two men this year, one was recent the other was over 3 months ago. So now I know who it was that gave it to me. No, you don't know who gave it to you. You could have contracted it from any of your past partners. Once you develop antibodies there is no way to tell who you contracted it from.

These are the antibody numbers and yes, they can indicate whether the infection is recent or not. You know.. I still don't believe that the numbers have anything to do with when you contracted this virus. I will have Betsy take a look at this post and correct me if I am wrong. (She posts over on WebMD with Terri Warren)

In some cases, if the infection is too recent it won't even show up in a blood test yet. Because my antibody numbers were so high, she said I had to have had it in my system for several months, it was not a recent infection. Again.. if you have a culture done and it's positive and you have a type specific antibody test done and that is negative THEN you can say that your herpes came from your most recent partner. Once your antibodies have developed and you test postive on both tests at the same time.. you can't really know who you contracted the virus from.

Angela :wink:

Answer:
http://boards.webmd.com/webx?THDX@701.gvuLam2mEWm. 1@.89465168!thdchild=.89465168

here is the posting that Terry responded to. I am only passing on what is told to me by experts. I am certainly no expert. I am learning as I go.

Answer:
All I can tell you is what Terri has told me..

The only way to know if an outbreak is a primary is to have a positive hereps culture test and a negative herpes specific anti-body test.

Once you develop anti-bodies to the virus it's difficult to have any idea of when or whom you could have contracted the virus from.

Hang in there,

Angela :wink: