When explaining the results of an antibody test to a patient, I would start by defining the test’s purpose. First, I would clarify that two different herpes simplex virus (HSV) antibody tests are needed to identify the area affected by the virus. HSV-1 mostly affects the lips and involves only 13% of the spread of genital herpes cases (Magdaleno-Tapial et al., 2020). Thus, the patient’s negative result symbolizes the normal production of antibodies and does not indicate infection with herpes during the testing period. HSV-2 is positive, which means that herpes in the patient’s organism affects other mucous tissues of the body, including the genitals (Magdaleno-Tapial et al., 2020). Using accessible and understandable language and a small introduction to the theoretical part will help the patient have a general but sufficient understanding of her infection.
Based on the test, it is impossible to assume whether herpes in the patient’s body is a recent or past infection. Nevertheless, it is possible to outline the minimum period when the patient was first infected. The body begins to produce two corresponding types of antibodies to HSV-1 or HSV-2 approximately 18-21 days after the infection first enters the body (Anderson, 2021). Since the HSV-2 result is positive, it means that the necessary amount of time for the virus to strengthen in the body has already passed. It is also essential to specify that the HSV-1, which demonstrated negative indicators, may occur not as negative but as a false negative. It means that enough time has not yet passed for the detection of antibodies by the test, and the patient may also notice manifestations of herpes on other parts of the body after some time, contrary to the results.
References
Anderson, A. (2021). What Is a Herpes Simplex Virus Antibodies Test (IgG and IgM HSV)? WebMD. Web.
Magdaleno-Tapial, J., Hernández-Bel, P., Valenzuela-Oñate, C., Ortiz-Salvador, J. M., García-Legaz-Martínez, M., Martínez-Domenech, Á., Pérez-Pastor, G., Esteve-Martínez, A., Zaragoza-Ninet, V., Sánchez-Carazo, J. L., Alegre-de Miquel, V. & Pérez-Ferriols, A. (2020). Genital infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in Valencia, Spain: A retrospective observational study. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas (English Edition), 111(1), 53-58.