is it possible to test positive for herpes and then test negative?
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False positive results can occur with many diagnostic tests, including STD tests. The chances of false positive results increase as the likelihood of the infection decreases in the person being tested. False positive HSV-2 results can happen, especially in people who are at low risk for a herpes infection.
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However, it's possible for your results to come back negative even if you've contracted the infection within the past few months. This is referred to as a false negative. Your body will typically take several weeks to develop IgG antibodies to HSV.
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False negative pregnancy tests are much more common than false positives. While a urinary tract infection (UTI) is unlikely to cause a false negative it could do so, at least in theory. If you have a UTI, see a doctor and then retake the test a few days later.
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Meanwhile, the CDC and the US Preventive Services Task Force concur that the most widely available herpes test, called HerpeSelect, should not be used to screen asymptomatic people because of its high risk of false positives: Up to 1 in 2 positive tests could be false, according to the USPSTF's most recent guidelines.
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This is known as a herpes culture. It will confirm the diagnosis if you have sores on your genitals. During this test, your doctor will take a swab sample of fluid from the sore and then send it to a laboratory for testing. Blood tests for antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 can also help diagnose these infections.
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It is possible to get a false negative on a pregnancy test (where the test says you're not pregnant, even though you are), particularly if you've tested before your period is due. If you've just had one negative result, you could try waiting for a few days and testing again, just to be sure.
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There's a common misconception that certain people are “immune” to herpes that stems from the fact that not everyone infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2 will have visible symptoms. However, let us be clear: You cannot be immune to herpes.
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Limitations. This test is intended for use as an aid in the diagnosis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections with active viral shedding; it also differentiates HSV-1 from HSV-2. Negative HSV NAA results indicate lack of viral shedding but do not confirm absence of previous infection.
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False Negative Pregnancy Tests However, this is not always the case. False negative pregnancy tests do occur. In fact, it is possible to have a negative result on a pregnancy test and actually be pregnant.
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A herpes IgM test is a type of blood test that can be used to detect early herpes (HSV) infection. This test does not detect herpes directly. Instead, it looks for a type of antibody that can be produced in response to a herpes infection, IgM.
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Positive/Abnormal. It may mean you have an active infection (you currently have sores), or were infected in the past (you have no sores). If you tested positive for HSV, talk to your health care provider. While there is no cure for herpes, it hardly ever causes serious health problems.
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Cell culture or PCR test may give a false-negative result if the sores have begun healing or if you are recently infected. It takes several weeks for HSV antibodies to show up in the blood. A false-negative test shows you don't have the condition when in fact you do. False-positive test results are possible, too.
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The presence of antibodies against herpes simplex means an individual is currently infected with the virus. A positive antibody test does not indicate merely that one has been “exposed” to HSV. Nor does it mean you are immune to the virus, without active infection.
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Testing with no symptoms Blood tests can be used when a person has no visible symptoms but has concerns about having herpes. Blood tests do not actually detect the virus; instead, they look for antibodies (the body's immune response) in the blood.
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Shortly after infection, a test may not yet show any antibodies. This is known as a false negative. False negatives tend to be more common in the initial and end stages of infection. Among people who are in the secondary (middle) stage of infection, the RPR test result is nearly always positive.
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A: It is quite common for one partner to test positive and the other negative, even if they have been having sex without condoms. Mostly this is explained by luck and the role of other risk factors. Over time, most people will catch HIV if they continue to be at risk.
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Negative. A negative test means that you have no COVID-19 antibodies, so you probably were not infected with the COVID-19 virus in the past. Because it takes time for antibodies to develop, false-negative test results can happen if the blood sample is collected too soon after your infection started.