Do NOT go for HSV IgM Testing!!!

[Angela]

----->This is a C & P strictly for educational purposes - Straight from another STD Message Board and written by another healthcare professional. <-----

Dear Friends,

Regular users of this forum, especially those with interests in herpes or who have had questions about genital herpes diagnosis, have been confused by the IgM antibody test offered by many laboratories, and many of you are familiar with my assertive stance against HSV IgM testing. I and other experts have made several appeals over the past couple of years to Quest Diagnositcs and LabCorp, the nation's two largest diagnostic laboratories, to stop offering or performing HSV IgM tests. For more information, search the STD Forum threads and archives for "herpes diagnosis" or "IgM".

This week I am attending CDC's National STD Prevention Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida. Yesterday I learned that our collective efforts are having success. Quest Diagnostics' marketing manager for STD/ HIV testing announced that effective 2 days ago, Quest no longer performs the HSV IgM antibody test; routine requests for HSV serology will no longer include IgM testing.

Effective immediately, I urge patients having HSV blood tests to ask (or insist!) their providers to send their specimens to Quest and, for the time being, to avoid using LabCorp for HSV testing. It is to be hoped that LabCorp soon will see the light and also drop HSV IgM testing. The more business they lose to Quest, the more quickly this might happen. But for now, both the clinical and public health priorities favor Quest, which is to be congratulated for the decision. IgM testing has been very lucrative, because the test is cheap to perform and a major money-maker. It is rewarding to see science win out over business interests.

In case anybody wonderrs, my recommendation is not market driven in any way. Neither I nor anybody in my family has any kind of financial interest or receivess research support from Quest or any other diagnostic company.

Regards to all--

[Angela]

Are you guys reading this stuff when you find this forum?

Angela :

[sapphire1181]

Yessum, sure am!

[MtnLaurel]

Yep.

[knowclue]

I'm so confused...so should you get IgM testing?

[MtnLaurel]

I'm so confused...so should you get IgM testing?

No, you should not.

[jointfive]

hey yoshi i got a question, my brother just brought this up to me, i was postivie for herpes 1 (the oral) and i just found out past wednesday, i ended up having sex twice since than, but more importantly one of the girls i made out with, and than i got oral sex from her, does that ussually mean i have herpes down there now as well or it doesnt usually mean that i have it? im going back in december to get tested for HIV and HSV. so i mean thats the only way to be 100% sure but what should i be looking for? is it ussually more than one blister that appears at a time? or can it be one? i just need some help, i posted earlier but no one replied probably becuase im new to the site or something, and seeing how this is your site, your obviously very skilled in everything about this. thanks.

[Angela]

I'm so confused...so should you get IgM testing?

No.

It should be IGG.

The entire point of the topic is to warn people not to count on IGM test results.

Hope that helps,

Angela

[Angela]

hey yoshi i got a question, my brother just brought this up to me, i was postivie for herpes 1 (the oral) and i just found out past wednesday,

How did you find out? Did you have a sore cultures from around your mouth OR did you just have herpes testing via blood work done? Do you have a history of cold sores OR fever blisters?

i ended up having sex twice since than, but more importantly one of the girls i made out with, and than i got oral sex from her, does that ussually mean i have herpes down there now as well or it doesnt usually mean that i have it?

If you have oral herpes it's not going to travel to your genitals. If somebody has oral herpes, and they perform oral sex on you then yet, it is possible to contract genital herpes type-1 that way. Here's a link that might help you figure this out:

Herpes Type-1 and Herpes Type-2

im going back in december to get tested for HIV and HSV.

Why are you waiting until December to be properly tested? Why don't you get tested now and then retest again in 3 months?

so i mean thats the only way to be 100% sure but what should i be looking for?

What do you mean by "what should I be looking for?" Are you expecting signs or symptoms of some sort? You do realize that not everybody gets signs OR symptoms if they have an STD, right?

is it ussually more than one blister that appears at a time? or can it be one?

Signs and symptoms vary from person to person which is why you should really be writing down all your questions and just see your doctor about it. (It's ok that you asked here too because that's what the forum is for)

i just need some help, i posted earlier but no one replied probably becuase im new to the site or something, and seeing how this is your site, your obviously very skilled in everything about this. thanks.

Your Welcome!

Keep us posted, ok?

Angela

[whyme2girl]

Why can't we get IGM testing?

[LustforLife]

because the results are virtually meaningless. you need to get the IgG tests.

read this:
http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_testing.cfm