What can cause a false positive gonorrhea test? Please see specifics below. Thanks!?

For example, HIV rapid tests can come up falsely positive for reasons other than administrative errors (seroconversion of Hepatitis, multiple pregnancies, autoimmune disorders, etc). Is this true with gonorrhea testing as well? If not, what would cause a false positive result other than a "bad test?" I'm also curious about the same question but with Herpes. Thanks!

Well, apparently there was a press release:

http://www.idsociety.org/template.cfm?se...

And for herpes:

http://www.herpes.org/herpesinfo/diagnos...

Hope this is helpful to you. Source(s): Wilde Ideas

nothing can cause that
A false positive could be a result of cross reactivity (if you're not doing a culture). A urine sample that was contaminated by bad handling or unsterile containers, etc can also generate false positive.

As for herpes, older tests were not specific at all and they gave false positives for past infections with varicella, other strains of herpes, etc.

HIV rapid tests need to be extra sensitive in order to produce results quickly. hs can result in false positives because the net for "positive" gets cast more widely. that's why positive rapid tests always need a confirmatory gold-standard test.
I work for your friendly local health department.