Sugar Grove, IL
A 48-year-old female asked:
I recently got a herpes qn real time pcr test through quest diagnostics in my town. (blood draw) the results came back <100 for both hsv1 & hsv2. wh?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Brad Douglasanswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 26 years experience
Need a culture: HSV blood tests are not ways to test for CURRENT infections
Need cultures of an active infection
Please contact for a consult to discuss more
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
742 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Related questions
A 30-year-old female asked:
Received HSV1/2 negative blood test result 9 months post exposure. But HSV2 IGM value is 4 times higher than HSV2 IGG value. What does it mean?
Dr. Hunter Handsfieldanswered
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
False positive IgM: The IgM HSV blood test is notoriously unreliable. True experts in herpes, STDs, and infectious diseases never order that test and always ignore the re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
739 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:
I tested + for HSV 1&2 IGG with no sxs of HSV2 ever. My BF is -, PCR DNA is - for both, i have a history of + HSV1, ran IGG inhibiton- neg, do i have hsv?
Dr. Jeff Livingstonanswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 24 years experience
HSV 2 IgG: Your question is confusing. If you had a test for HSV 2 IgG then this confirms you were exposed to HSV 2 at some point in the past and have developed ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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A 35-year-old male asked:
Can you have gen HSV1 and never test positive on HSV IGG blood tests?....even after 6 months? what if positive PCR swab?Can Herpes Zoster outbreak cause false positive PCR swab for HSV1? Can acne pad treatment on lesions cause PCR false positive?
Dr. Hunter Handsfieldanswered
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
Genital herpes HSV1: Up to 30% of people with HSV1 don't get positive blood tests, after 6 months or forever. If the swab test was positve, you have HSV1, no need for furt... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
356 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old female asked:
Can hsv2 outbreak look like mole/freckles? My ex had what he thought was hsv1(cold sores) but the test came back negative and hsv2 was positive.can hsv2 be oral only or does it mean he also has genital herpes?his Dr said his freckles were an outbreak?
Dr. Richard Romanoanswered
Internal Medicine 11 years experience
Usually, HSV2 does not cause darken lesions, they are usually flesh colored, white, and sometimes red. They usually cause bumps.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Reviewed Oct 16, 2021
View all answers
A 28-year-old female asked:
First herpes OB 3 weeks ago. 2 swab tests (BD) both came back pos. for HSV1 and neg. for HSV2. But OB is so persistent it possible this is HSV2?
Dr. Hunter Handsfieldanswered
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
You have HSV1: You can be sure it's HSV1; a lab would not confuse with HSV2 on swab testing. There is no difference in severity or duration of symptoms for HSV1 vs H... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Apr 3, 2017
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