Is my Herpes infection serious?

[Namurlaan]

Hi there,

I'd like to ask a question which is connected to my previous one. On 7th May (39 days ago) I had a protected casual sexual intercourse. As I was afraid of getting genital herpes, I visited dermatologist, who said that by that time blisters would have appeared, and she sent me to do a blood test on 16th May. Blisters did not come out since then, but my test became positive: Herpes 1+2 IgG 29,3, IgM positive. Unfortunately, this test do not distinguish between type 1 and 2. Regarding the IgG, the test is negative under value 0,9, positive above 1,1 so this 29,3 seems to be a high value. I know that I'm infected with HSV1, I had outbreaks on my mouth several times in the past, last time about one year ago. Never had genital outbreaks.

So is this high value a sign of an serious infection, should I be worried? After 39 days without outbreak, is there a possibility I have genital herpes? Thank you.

[feelingundone]

It's clear you have a long established hsv1 oral infection. Your risk of hsv2 from your single protected sexual exposure is essentially zero. The high value just means the test is very confident it saw antibodies. This test doesn't  distinguish between the two. I would just have a hsv2 igg blood test at twelve weeks since you know you have hsv1.
Again I highly doubt you contracted hsv2 from your protected sexual encounter.

[feelingundone]

It is clear you have hsv1. Your chances of contracting hsv2 from your single protected sexual exposure is essentially zero.  I would take an hsv2 only igg test at twelve weeks to be safe but with no symptoms and having had protected sex I would not be concerned with genital hsv2..
Hope this helps.