Herpes Testing - What Works, What Doesn't, and Where to go From Here...
QUESTION:
I went in for some routine tests and my doctor has just informed me that I've tested positive for the herpes virus. I'm freaking out right now! How accurate are these tests and is it worth me getting retested just to be sure?
ANSWER:
The first thing you must do is not panic about your test results. Yes this can be difficult, but you need to understand what your test actually means. Unfortunately, herpes testing is a very misunderstood subject. Even most doctors do not understand how they work, how reliable they are, or what they even mean. So lets go through this all in more detail...
Firstly, you must fully understand what the herpes virus is and the difference between herpes 1 (HSV1) and herpes 2 (HSV2) before you can understand the different testing procedures. Please take the time to read this short article by herpes expert, Dr Jen Gunter (yes this may sound silly as you've probably already researched the herpes virus to the point of exhaustion, but this article is worth reading)...
Herpes 101: The difference between herpes type 1 and type 2.
The most common tests for the herpes virus (type I & type II) are swab tests and blood tests (IgG, IgM and Western blot).
A swab test is really only useful when you have a fresh lesion or outbreak. This can then be analysed to see if you have herpes 1 or herpes 2. The problem with swab tests though is they can be inconclusive. Even if the lesion is fresh the result can still come back negative. You should not overly rely on this test.
Many doctors will tell you that an IgM antibody blood test can tell you when you contracted the herpes virus and if it's type I or type II. This is simply not true. Dr Jen Gunter says...
"If your provider offers an IgM test, get up and leave because they do not know anything about herpes or testing. IgM tests for herpes are highly unreliable for the diagnosis of herpes virus infections and should never be ordered." IgM Blood Test for Herpes... Just Say No.
You then have the IgG blood test (ELISA or Immunoblot "type specific"). This is considered to be a fairly reliable test - to a point. An IgG test can tell if you have herpes 1 or herpes 2, but because it can take the immune system up to 6 months to produce IgG antibodies, it can take up to 6 months for a test to turn positive. It can also take AT LEAST 6 months for a positive test to turn negative when eradicating the virus from the body (yes, the herpes virus can be eradicated...
Natural Herpes Cure). Be aware though that IgG tests have been known to throw up false negatives AND false positives so this test is still not 100% absolute. An IgG result below 3 is considered a "low-positive" but could also be a "false positive". Any result between 1 and 3 will require further testing if you want absolute confirmation. The Western blot test is that such test...
The only 100% accurate herpes test is the Western blot test available from the University of Washington. This is considered the gold standard of herpes testing. However, it's not
cheap and it's not easy to get. This article explains how you can go about getting the Western blot test done if you're interested...
False Positive HSV-2 Igg test and Western Blot.
And for everything you need to know about the different forms of herpes testing and what they all mean, we also recommend you take the time to read through this informative article...
Understanding Your Blood Tests for Herpes.
Finally, you need to believe that the herpes virus (both HSV1 AND HSV2) is 100% curable! The medical profession will tell you that it's not, and once you have it you have it for life. This is a complete lie. ANY virus can be destroyed and eradicated, if you know how. Follow our
natural herpes cure protocol, which includes the very potent olive leaf extract, oregano oil and colloidal silver combination, to rid yourself of this horrible virus for good.
To finish off, here's what our good friend James at destroydiseases says about herpes testing and ridding the body of this virus...
"There has been some controversy over getting tested to see if the virus is still in your system. The medical tests for herpes currently only test for antibodies in the blood. This means that even if the virus has been eliminated or inactive, the test will more than likely still give a positive outcome when you first attempt this test. This does not mean the virus is still active in the body.
In order to test negative, you must completely detox the body. All heavy metals need to be released. Everybody has heavy metals - they come in many forms. Lead and mercury are just some of the toxins, hence heavy metals. After pure oregano oil has been used for several months and no more outbreaks have been present, only then is the virus presumed to be inactive. Once the blood has been fully cleaned and detoxified, a negative test result should be possible!! This will take several more months after the virus has been presumed to be killed, showing no symptoms or outbreaks.
Drinking grapefruit juice or freshly squeezed orange juice is a good way to test and see if the virus is still active in the body. These fruits should be eaten or juiced several times per week while detoxing. These fruits will cause outbreaks in most cases, only until the virus has been completely killed. As time goes on, the outbreaks will become less and less aggressive and last only a few days. This is a general rule of thumb, of course, and everybody is different." destroydiseases.com.
FINAL NOTE: The Centers for Disease Control strongly advises people to NOT get routine "screening" blood tests done for the herpes virus, for the simple reason that they can (and often do) throw up false negatives AND false positives. Unless you have a specific breakout or lesion or believe you have been infected, do not order a herpes test. Remember this... by age 30 almost everyone is positive herpes 1. So basically, we all have it! Why order a "routine" test that's more than likely going to come up positive. It means nothing and will only give you a lot of unnecessary grief.
Hope this helps you out.
Good luck and all the best to you,
Regards,
Troy (Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Health & Wellness Coach/Specialist)