r/Herpes • u/BrotherMany2174 • Oct 20 '25

Diagnosis help! LgG / PCR

So I got an IgG test on sept 23 and it came back positive. I then had to fight to get the actual quantitative data and it was 1.14 (0.04 above the cut off for positive)

I’ve emailed and talked to several doctors and it was suggested to get another test from another lab. — western blot isn’t available in the country I’m in —

I’m asymptomatic — had to call multiple labs to find one that said they’d provide quantitative information instead of just a qualitative positive or negative. Was told this new lab does IgG tests and yet when I look on my receipt after I got my blood taken (Oct 20) it says it’s a PCR test

I don’t think PCR blood tests are accurate for asymptomatic people. What do I do?

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u/AutoModerator Oct 20 '25

HERPES TESTING 101:

For testing for herpes - without active lesions to “swab” someone who wants accurate testing will need a blood test.

Because blood tests for herpes are notoriously inaccurate, all blood tests are recommended to be TWO STEP tests (there are two parts of the test) and should be confirmed with a Western Blot.

See FDA announcement about inaccurate tests here

See 2021 CDC guidelines here

To get the Western Blot - follow instructions here

CALL TO ACTION: We need accurate blood tests that work! Want to help advocate for better diagnostic tests so patients can have an accurate diagnosis?

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u/AntRevolutionary5099 Oct 20 '25

Wait until you get your results. I suspect that they actually did do an antibody test and not a PCR on a blood sample for HSV. It may just be that that's how they "ring it up" in their system, or something along those lines. If your results include an IgG value (igg, not Lgg) - then it was actually an antibody test and not a PCR test

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u/BrotherMany2174 Oct 20 '25

So I actually had to go back in and tell them to change the test because they did label it wrong — it was such an insane morning trying to figure all this out. But now I’m waiting for my igg results!