Just tested positive for ghsv1 when I had cold sores as a kid? Confused!

Hi there

I had my first outbreak of herpes last week. i am in a long term relationship and neither I nor my partner had tested positive for any STI at the start of relationship 9 months back or had any symptoms before or after that. So you can imagine my shock when I went to the clinic two days after feeling unwell and having vaginal symptoms that I thought were either the result of thrush or rough sex and was told I'd got herpes.

Even more confusing, I learnt today after my second visit to the clinic that the results of swab test were positive for herpes virus type 1...I had cold sores A LOT as a kid (never now) and all prior research has led me to believe that to catch herpes 1 genitally as well as orally is virtually impossible.

My questions are:

1.) Is it possible to get herpes on your vagina as type 1 if you already had cold sores on your mouth as a child?

2.) Is it possible that a swab test could come back false positive for herpes 1?

3.) Is it possible for a swab test to pick up my prior oral infection, as a blood test would?

Any answers/help would much appreciated, thank you! :) :)

[gracefromHHP]

were your cold sores on your outer lips as a child or inside your mouth?

having hsv1 orally does provide you with significant protection against contracting hsv1 genitally but not 100%.

do you know if you and your partner were actually tested for herpes when you had your std testing done? usually it's not a part of routine std testing so finding out if you were actually tested for it then or not is a good idea for you both.

grace

[Lilio40]

They were on my outer lips I think.

We live in the UK and here testing for Herpes on the NHS is generally just swab testing IF you have lesions/sores, no blood tests. I'm almost 100% sure neither of us were tested for herpes before this.

I'm just so confused! Neither of us have had any herpes symptoms before, he hasn't had any as of yet so it was a bit of a shock even without the diagnosis of type 1.

Is it possible that I have type 2 instead and the swabs came up wrong? Tbh I'm much happier with a type 1 diagnosis as that appears to reoccur less frequently. Just confuse as to how I got it down there too!

Thank you so much for your speedy reply :)

[gracefromHHP]

at this point odds are you do have hsv1 genitally. lesion cultures can be typed wrong but that doesn't happen too often. You and your partner can pursue type specific herpes igg blood testing at private clinics and pay out of pocket for it to see who has what. Probably won't change anything but if he does test + for hsv2 on his blood test then you do have reason to doubt your lesion culture.  

[Lilio40]

Ah I see. Thank you for your advice, it's put my mind at rest.