Laboratories that do IgG and IgM HHV-6 Antibody testing

Unless you have an acute infection or a rash, is not necessary to test for IgM since this antibody is rarely found in reactivations. It is generally only found for the first three months after the primary infection.

 Please note that these laboratories use immunofluoresence (IFA), which reports a titer such as 1:40, 1:80 or 1:160. These titers allow you to compare your results to the standard used at Stanford University. If your results are 1:360 or above, you may have an active infection. Children and young adults and the elderly may naturally have titers this high, especially if they have recently had flu or other illness. High titers cannot tell you with certainty that the infection is reactivated, but they are suggestive if the patient is symptomatic and other titers such as the Epstein-Barr EBV VCA and EA (Early Antigen) titers are elevated as well.

Stanford uses Focus Technologies but Specialty Laboratories uses the same IFA procedure. Labcorp and Quest use an ELISA technique, which reports a number instead of a titer. Since most of the research on HHV-6 antibodies has been done with IFA, it is difficult to interpret these numbers or compare them to the Stanford data. Also, the ELISA numbers are index values than cannot be compared over time. The IFA results can be compared over time so that you can determine if a treatment regimen is working. The HHV-6 Foundation did limited testing on samples sent for both IFA and ELISA testing. In that test, ELISA values over 4 tended to correlate with IFA titers of 1:320 and above. However this will vary by laboratory, depending on the kit used.

These laboratories accept samples shipped individually and accept samples from overseas. Samples do not have to be frozen, but a cold pack it is preferable.

Focus Technologies

Sample requirements: 1 mL serum or plasma

Insurance billing: yes

 (877) 480-2500

Specialty Laboratories

Sample requirements: 1 mL serum or plasma

Insurance billing: yes

 (800) 421-4449