HSV1/2 IGG Positive

Up until four years ago, I had no history of cold sores or herpesout breaks.  Then four years ago I got herpes Zoster (shingles) in my ear.  It recurred for 6 months--I was swabbed twice and tested positive for zoster both times.  A year later it came back in my ear.  I went to the doctor and had it tested again, but this time it was HSV1.  It was strange in that I have never had a cold sore, and that it came back in the exact same spot inside the ear and looked, felt, and acted exactly like Zoster. Now four years later in came back again in my ear and on my pharynx.  This time we swabbed and it was HSV1 and we did a follow up blood test for both HSV1/2 IGG, both were positive.  There were no ranges or ratios associated with the test--it simply said positive.  Could my blood test be a false positive?  I've heard that people like me with high HSV1 counts can test positive for HSV2 without actually having it.  What can I do to ensure an accurate diagnosis?  

I've had the same partner for 15 years (he has not been tested).  Neither of us has ever had an outbreak/pain in our genitals. We are monogamous, so this would not be a new infection.  It would be something that one of us brought into the relationship.  What are the odds of neither partner ever having an initial outbreak and both being asymptomatic for 15 years?

Thanks for any feedback.

[gracefromHHP]

Having a zoster recurrence for that long is damn unlucky ( not to mention painful I'm sure ! ).  Doesn't happen very often but unless the lab they used was totally incompetent - repeat cultures for zoster means it was zoster. Consider yourself a medical rarity!

When you had your herpes blood test - did you get  a result for hsv1 that said + and a result for hsv2 that said +?   Or just hsv 1/2 igg +?  I encourage you to have follow up testing to confirm it.  You probably want to err on the side of caution and have a herpes western blot test done.  

grace

[mary668]

Yes, the Zoster was in my ear was crazy.  The visible sores went away after a month but the ear pain continued.  A month later the sores returned.  It did this for 6 months!  I don't think it ever really "went away" in that six months.  

I tested positive for Hsv 1 antibodies and Hsv2 atibodies.  

What is the difference between a western blot, Herpes select, and biotest?

[gracefromHHP]

I'll let the fine folks at www.herpesdiagnosis.com explain the differences to you. They do it far better than I could ever hope to!

Basically the WB looks at more parts of the IGG response than the other igg tests do.  It's actually considered the "gold standard" to which other herpes blood tests have to measure up to.  

Anything that causes pain above the neck drives me insane - no idea how you survived 6 months of it all....ugh.  glad you are feeling better now though at least :)

grace

[mary668]

Thanks Grace!  I'm so glad that you're here :-)))