HSV-1 IGG positive means ?

[p5yl0g1k]

Hello,

I have an active sex life and always use protection (except for oral) and still regularly get blood tests to check for STDs (a couple times a year). I've had my latest test last week, noticed I probably never checked for HSV before; everything was negative except the HSV as follows:
HERPES I IGG - 2.3  (positive > 1)
HERPES I & II IGM - 0.24  (negative < 1)
HERPES II IGG - 0.78   (negative < 1)

I'd like an interpretation for the above results please, I am confused if I do have an infection with HSV or not. I have absolutely no symptoms whatsoever, neither around/in the mouth or on the genital area, never felt any urethral burning (except when I had a kidney stone 1 year ago).

Thanks in advance for any help!

[HowardH]

And one final point:  You are good illustration of one of the reasons that routine HSV blood testing is controversial. Some STD experts recommend it for routine screening like you had. However, most experts advise that HSV blood tests not be done unless the suspicion of herpes is quite high, such as symptoms suggesting infection or exposure to a known infected partner. They argue that confusing, uncertain, or non-helpful results -- like yours -- are just too frequent and the risk of them isn't worth it.

[HowardH]

And BTW, it's still possible you have been infected (orally) since childhood. Your earlier HSV1 blood test could have been falsely negative.

[HowardH]

Unless and until you develop a recurrent herpes lesion -- an oral cold sore or genital lesion consistent with herpes -- you'll never know whether your infection is oral or genital. Statistically, oral is more likely -- probably more oral infections are asymptomatic or unnoticed than genital ones.  If and when you have symptoms at either site, promptly (within 1-2 days) see a doctor or clinic for a swab test (PCR preferred over culture) to confirm HSV and the virus type.

The odds are good that won't happen, and for the reasons I already noted above, it probably doesn't much matter whether your infection is oral or genital. Even if genital, in the absence of an outbreak there probably is little risk of future transmission to partners.

[p5yl0g1k]

Thanks for your insight Howard, going through my old test results I noticed that yes I did get tested for HSV (but it never mentioned igg or igm) and it was negative (that was 18 months ago).
Hence my next question, how could I have received this infection? Kissing or oral? Also, are there other tests (more accurate and definitive) that I can take to possibly know when it actually happened or what are the extents of it ?

Thanks again in advance for your help.

[HowardH]

No confusion here -- you are infected with HSV1. So are half of all other adults in the US (more or fewer in other countries). Most infections are oral and date to childhood, and usually are without symptoms.

If you previously tested negative for HSV1, then you probably were infected sometime since the previous test. But if you're not having genital symptoms, you can safely assume that you don't have genital herpes; or if you do, that it won't be much of a problem. Most genital HSV1 infections recur infrequently, or not at all, and are not frequently transmitted to partners.

So all is well. No worries.