1. Community
  2. Infections
  3. Genital Herpes Simplex

Could swab test be wrong?

Posted , 6 users are following.

caroline36678
caroline36678

Hi guys!

Me again...

I'm feeling very confused now!!!i need to know what you think...

I finally had the courage to talk to my mama... Long story short, my parents are orthodox jews and i decided not to follow their path wich makes our relationship really complicated...and they are not really open minded!

Well, i talked to her today and i told her about my hsv-1 diagnosis. I thought she would blow a fuse or something...instead, she said that she has an auto-immune disease called lichen planus (not sure of the name in english sorry!) and it appeared when she was my age for her too...and it was mistaken for genital herpes for years...my dad got tested too, he is negative for g.h and so is my mama..

I had an herpes swab that came back positive for hsv1... My question is: is it possible that i had a false positive with my herpes swab? I know there is usually a lot of false negative but can it be the other way around?

I am seeing a doctor wednesday so i will talk to him about it of course...but i wanted to know what you think?

Thanx

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • tiffini_a85221
    tiffini_a85221 caroline36678

    Posted

    I hope it's the case I will keep my fingers crossed for you at lest there's a possibility so keep ur head up
  • tara69187
    tara69187 caroline36678

    Posted

    Hey Hun! I have heard about this too! Not sure how common it is, I would be interested to know what your doctor says about this. Could you share what they say after you visit them?

    I am also new to this and I haven't really had any major symptoms. I had one tiny out break that lasted a week and half and cleared up on it's own which makes me think if I really have hsv1. But like you my swobe came back positive. Very confusing and stressful!

  • FelizCastus
    FelizCastus caroline36678

    Posted

    False positives with viral cultures unfortunately do not occur, even if you have a related condition like shingles. If they do, they are extremely rare. False negatives are not uncommon, however, because viral cultures are not so sensitive.

    The next time you have symptoms, if you do again, you can always do another swab, but ask for a PCR swab. Highly sensitive and accurate.

  • caroline36678
    caroline36678

    Posted

    Well, i want to the hospital today to get my lab results to go to the std clinic on wednesday...

    I am even more confused now!!!

    There are 4 sheets, two of each viral culture... Both are negatives for hsv-2, one is positive for hsv-1 and one is negative for hsv1...

    Why would i get 2 different results in viral culture if they are so accurate?

    Because it really says viral culture on both papers...

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus caroline36678

      Posted

      Viral culture is less accurate than pcr, because it can miss more. The sample collected makes a big difference to the results. But presumably when it does manage to detect the presence of the virus, it is reliable. You can certainly test again, but without symptoms there's only IgG at 3-4 months, and a positive for Type 1 could equally mean an oral infection (unless you know for sure you've never had cold sores before).
    • caroline36678
      caroline36678 FelizCastus

      Posted

      It doesn't mean i don't have herpes!

      But i just saw at the bottom (in tiny caracters) male 36 with the same birth date...on the positive one! There was clearly a mix up... :-(

      I'll ask for the test again on wednesday!

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus caroline36678

      Posted

      Oh, well, if they have the wrong name, that's something else altogether! Better check that out. Did you have symptoms??
    • caroline36678
      caroline36678 FelizCastus

      Posted

      I had sores but like i said, my mom has lichen plan...i don't know what to think!!

      I can't wait till my appointement on wednesday!!!

      When you do a bloodtest, how long does it take to have the results?

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus caroline36678

      Posted

      Depends very much on where you go, but in theory (not necessarily practice) it should only take a couple of days. Has it been 3-4 months since you had sores? That's the recommended test window for IgG. And as I noted, if you've ever had cold sores, your IgG will be positive regardless of what caused your genital sores.
    • caroline36678
      caroline36678 FelizCastus

      Posted

      I have sores, they come and go but they don't crust...

      If i have herpes, it would be my fifth outbreak in less than 3 months! It could be it but it's a very mean type 1!!!!!

      I am sure i never had a cold sore before!!!

      Thanx for your help feliscatus!

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus caroline36678

      Posted

      Genital lesions on mucosal or otherwise moist, rubbing skin don't usually crust or scab over. But I don't know anything about the other condition you mentioned. Good to raise all of your concerns and good luck!
    • j08653
      j08653 FelizCastus

      Posted

      Do the genital lesions tend to blister Feliscatus?
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus j08653

      Posted

      "Classic" lesions blister, but not all do, which adds to the misdiagnosis and confusion.
  • caroline36678
    caroline36678

    Posted

    So, i still don't know yet if i have herpes or not!

    The new clinic was far but it was worth it! They were super nice and caring...

    They told me that my cervix is infected ( probably from my delivery) and that i also had a dermatitis down there...wich would explain a lot.

    They ran the tests for herpes. Maybe i do have it but if i do they are gonna give me suppressive therapy and help me...i am so relieved!

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus caroline36678

      Posted

      Glad you found a good clinic, though far away! A good doctor/clinic is a big plus when dealing with things like this, whether it turns out to be herpes or not.
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.