Herpes Confusion

[secretnomo]

Dear Nurse Warren,

I wrote to you a few months ago with the results of my Herpes Tests. They were

Herpes Simplex 1

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Types I and II Specific Antibodies, IgG
HSV-1 aB IgG

3.91 H
POSITIVE

Herpes Simplex 2

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Types I and II Specific Antibodies, IgG
HSV-2 aB IgG

5.57 H
POSITIVE

I took the tests through an online testing facility. A few weeks later, I decided to go to a doctor and work through my pain at having HSV2 without relying on my own increasingly paranoid mind. He decided that he didn't trust the online doctor and wanted to run the herpes tests himself and counsel me himself. Here are his results:

HerpeSelect 1 ELISA IgG  H 6.05
Herpeselect 2 ELISA IgG    0.54

I didn't believe that I could be negative, so I asked him to test me again. This time, the results were

Herpeselect 1 ELISA IgG H 6.43
Herpeselect 2 ELISA IgG  0.42

At the time of the testing, I hadn't had sex in over a year. I'm confused. Should I believe that I do have HSV2 or that I don't have HSV2? Is two negative tests enough confirmation? It would make a lot of sense for me to have HSV1 genitally, since I certainly had a painful pimple down there that made it difficult to sit down, but I've had no symptoms since, which doesn't seem consistent with the first year of having HSV2.

Also, can someone who has HSV1 orally contract it again genitally through genital intercourse through asymptomatic shedding?

p.s. I love your new book.

- Secretnomo

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

HSV 2 IgG AB means antibody to HSV 2

Terri

[jsmith1050]

Question to secretnono:

Did you ever find out what happened with that online test? Why for intsance it said your HSV IgG was so positive? Did you ever find out what HSV2 aB IGG meant?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Well, those certainly are discrepant results!  Something weird happened here.
If you were my patient, I would order a herpes western blot, just to be absolutely certain.  This can be done through Quest labs, code 34534.  
Also, I would request a written copy of the lab test that you did online (maybe you already have it).  Did different labs do it, like was one Lab Corp and the other Quest?  
It would be highly unusual to contract new HSV 1 infection genitally if you already have a history of cold sores.  If you have a history of cold sores, I would guess that is what is causing your HSV 1 antibody.  
I'm glad you liked the book, and hope that your HSV 2 test is negative so you can put it away.

Terri