Herpes blood test -IgM no distinction - Copy

Herpes HSV-1/2 IgM (HSV)
Herpes Simplex Infection IgM type 1 or IgM type 2 are not disaggregated.

It is not possible before the IgG antibodies have formed (after 6 months) to tell whether the herpes infection is type 1 or type 2.

Primary infection or reactivation

Herpes infections are common in practice. A large minority of
cases involve a first infection with one of the herpes viruses. After the first infection (IGM), which is
called primo-infection, the virus remains in the body for life. The virus remains
present in nerve endings or ganglia. Due to viral infections, flu, menstruation, illness,
sunburn, stress, etc., the dormant viruses may have the opportunity to
multiply and travel through the nerve branches to the skin or mucous membranes to
cause characteristic abnormalities. These so-called reactivations are much more common than the
real (initial) infections.

In most cases, the abnormalities are very distinctive or typical, so the diagnosis
is
not too
difficult. However, there are also atypical manifestations of a reactivation or typical first manifestations in an
unusual location.
A first infection with one of the herpesviruses often proceeds without
symptoms or signs
in certain herpesviruses
. In other types of herpesviruses, it may
proceed violently. Reactivations are milder in some species and more severe in others than the
initial infection.

This test detects the IgG antibodies of herpes simplex type 1 or type 2.
The IgG does rise if it is a systemic flare-up or neurological pathology.
In local manifestations (e.g. cold sores) the IgG does not rise.

HSV type 1 is found in:

• Herpes labialis (cold sores)
• in the eye (dendritic keratitis)
• in the mouth (gingivostomatitis)
• in skin lesions of the upper half of the body
• in neonatal herpes
• in meningoencephalitis.

HSV type 2 is found in:

• genital herpes
• for skin eruptions of the lower half of the body.

This rule is not absolute. For example, 20% of genital infections are caused by HSV type 1. These rarely recur unlike those caused by HSV type 2.

In case of acute infection, it is better to turn to your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
This test measures only infections acquired more than 6 months ago.
Should you want to know whether it is type 1 or 2, it is best to order Herpes type 2 IgG with it.

Pregnant? In certain cases it can be useful to do a blood test for antibodies against HSV. This way it can be reliably indicated whether someone has been infected with HSV in the past and with which type(s). Such a test is useful, for example, if a pregnant woman has a partner who has recurrent genital herpes but is not known to have it. In the absence of HSV antibodies, the pregnant woman is at risk of being infected with HSV during pregnancy and advice should be given to minimize the risk of infection. If so, order the test: "Herpes blood test antibodies."

If HSV 1/2 IgG is negative, it is not useful to perform a breakdown into 1 and 2. This only matters if HSV 1/2 is measured positive. Then the breakdown can be determined to determine whether type 1 or type 2 is positive. This result may take 10 days because splitting type 1 and type 2 is a specialized test. Unfortunately, this is not possible for the IgM test.