Herpes 1 and possibly 2 question

Dear Doc
Here is my question. I had a slight irritation at the tip of my penis a few months ago.  No lesion or rashes or anything.  The irritation went about an 8th of an inch into my urethra for about a week or 2.  I think it was from swimming in a chlorinated pool and (embarrassingly) working at a pizza place all day and then coming home and masturbating in front of the computer for 2 hours a few nights a week.  Anyhoo i got checked for everything; Chlamydia etc.  All negative. I got both the herpes IGG tests.  The type 1 test came back as "higher than 5".  The type 2 tests came back as .17 (negative).  It was a quest diagnostic titer igG test.  Less than .9 is neg.  .9-1.1 is equivocal and higher than that is positive.  My main concern is the high positive on the type 1 test.  Does this mean I was producing anti bodies at the time of the test or does it just mean I came in contact with the virus at some point in my life.  Any info would be helpful.  I was also with a woman about a month before this all happened.  Unprotected unfortunately.  I put all this to bed a few months because i thought the higher than 5 reading was a .5 but i was given wrong info.  So a little worried now.  Is slight irritation at the tip even a sign of herpes.  Thanks for your help.  I also dont know how to retrieve your answer to this question.  But i should be able to figure that out.  thanks

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Herpes 1 titers just mean exposure to virus sometime in your life.  The irritation seems easily explainable on the basis of friction.  If the condition recurs, show a doctor, but I don't think you need to repeat the herpes tests at this time.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[The_Rajah]

Hi, bilbo. I know the doctor is busy so I'd like to expand a little on his comments. For what it's worth, the majority of the adult human population has type 1 herpes, usually from childhood, so your coming back as positive for HSV1 is hardly a surprise. The specific percentages vary with demographics.

Testing positive for HSV1 means that you've been exposed, as the doctor mentions, but furthermore it means that you do actually have the virus somewhere in your body. Antibodies present = virus present somewhere. The unfortunate thing about serum tests such as you had is that they only indicate presence, but not the location. If you ever get any active symptoms, then I'd suggest getting a type-specific culture done asap.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, but I used to live next door to one.

[bilbo205]

Thanks Doc and Rajah
I'm feeling better about things now.  God it looks like these "not so specific" tests freak alot of people out.  I guess my only question now is---if I tested positive for Type 1 is there any way to figure out if its oral or genital in nature.  I have had no symptoms since the slight irritation in November/December.  Is there a test that will tell me the location of the Type 1 virus on my body (without symptoms being present)??