Titers testing mess

[ohreally852]

I recently was diagnosed with lichen planus in the genital area- However: While trying to diagnose the situation, I have ended up in a big mess of a herpes testing confusion. The same dermatologist who diagnosed the lichen planus had also ordered a blood test for herpes, and recently told me I am positive for both types.

The test was Igg/Igm specific, however the results are these weird titer things:

HSV-1 IgG 1:128
HSv-1 IgM Negative
Method: IFI

HSV-2 IgG 1:256
HSV-2 IgM Negative
Method: IFI

After doing some research, all I found related to this kind of test was this post by Terri Warren saying that the test that uses titers is unreliable due to cross-reactivity problems. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/...s/show/1107924

So in addition to this allegedly unreliable positive test, I have a negative HSV2 IGG test from Planned Parenthood back in the States which I did about two months before this one.

I know that antibodies take time to develop, however, the negative test (the first one, done in the US) was done a little over three months from my last sexual contact at that time. The only person I have had any sexual contact between the two tests is the same person I had been with for over a year before the first one. He claims he has not been with anyone else, and I do believe him. He's never had any symptoms. We always (literally always) use a condom.

While I suppose it is possible, it seems highly unlikely that I got herpes from him during one of the few times we had safe sex during time between the two tests (currently it's a long distance thing), after not getting it from him during the 18 months we were having sex all the time.
Given the weird situation and the unreliable foreign test...what do I do?
Thanks for any tips, and sorry for the novel.

[ohreally852]

No, but my original negative PP test  came after being with him for about 2 years.

[gracefromHHP]

has your partner been tested?

[ohreally852]

Thanks Grace, for the advice:

The negative tests at PP were actually done before this positive titers test here (since I couldn't get my results from PP easily while abroad, the dermo here insisted on doing it)...however it seems extremely unlikely that I could have gotten herpes since the original negative test- should I just assume the original negative was correct for now, while of course taking all safe sex precautions and keeping an eye out for outbreaks?

Thanks again.

[gracefromHHP]

if you've had 2 negative igg tests done at PP since this testing , no reason to continue pursing herpes testing. the testing you originally had done is very poor testing and we don't recommend that test any more due to all the issues with it.

grace