False Negative?

Hey guys! Not sure if anyone would know, but what is the possibility of getting a false negative? Even after being swabbed and having blood and urine tests done? Should a second test be taken just to be sure? Have you heard of any stories like this?

My understanding is that IgG blood tests detect 95% of HSV2 cases, providing those testing have waited at least 16 weeks from the time of infection. This means they miss 5% of positive cases. For HSV1, IgG tests only detect 70% and miss 30% of cases.

Swabs will only detect the virus when it is active in the area being swabbed, so if a lesion has already begun healing or has healed, a false negative becomes likely.

I've never heard of a urine test for HSV so can't comment on that.

I can second that I've never heard of a urine test for HSV. You can be tested for other STDs through urine though (trich, gonorrhea, and chlamydia). Perhaps they are testing for everything?

Turns out the blood test came back negative because I was tested for type 2. By apparently I have type 1 in my genital area. @optimist @MMissouri what difference does this make? Is it just less severe than type 2?

@NeedHope_ The difference is not severity. Severity of symptoms is highly variable and not dependent on type. However, on average, for people who get recurring outbreaks, GHSV1 tends to recur less frequently. Also, on average, the virus sheds 1/3 less often than genital HSV2. Also, if your partner already has HSV1, as most adults do, there are no worries about transmission risk and related precautions.