When herpes happens, it infects nerve groups. If someone gets oral hsv2, that's the trigeminal nerve group, and that can affect the ear, though it usually sticks to the mouth and nose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_nerve
Yes, it's wiki, but it has some decent pics of what areas the trigeminal nerve groups cover.
I do think he should get a type specific IgG blood test to confirm this diagnosis, or even a Western Blot test, which is only performed at the univ of Washington in Seattle. Your doctor can order it after the hsv2 IgG blood test. You should also get an hsv2 IgG blood test.
There are false positives on the hsv2 blood test. If your results come in below a 3.5, get the Western Blot. Just do it.
Mat herpes is most often hsv1, but I just talked to someone last week who had hsv2 confirmed as his cause of his mat herpes on his upper back. (That's knows as herpes gladiatorum.)
It's important to get this confirmed for lots of reasos - transmission, the chances of post-herpetic neuralgia, treatment, etc.
If it is hsv2, he could have had this for decades, or long before you met him, and is just now getting outbreaks. Unless he's had negativ hsv2 testing in the past, you might not ever know. If it's oral hsv2, the chances of him transmitting are very, very low.
Right now, your concerns are getting this confirmed, though cultures are not often wrong. Just get the blood tests. Let me know.
If you need help getting the blood tests, you can go to STDcheck.com, Letsgetchecked.com, Healthlabs.com or ultahealthlabs.com. They are all similar, and all run specials, and offer online coupons, just search Google.
Let me know.