Question:
Is anyone else as confused with their HSV serology as I? I know that I have had herpes for 10 years now. I finally went to the doctor about 3 years ago during an outbreak just to have said what I had already known. During another genital outbreak, my viral culture tested positive. Enough said..

Recently, I began to have some symptoms of a yeast infection with swelling that ended up looking like a small tear. I went to the Gyn and he thought that perhaps it was a primary infection of herpes, but not sure of the type because my positive genital culture may not have been type specific. I explained how I didn't think so as it felt nothing like a past herpes outbreak. He cultured again and also ran the IgG and IgM blood test. PS. Other STD tests ran and all negative.

Results come back and viral culture was negative but both blood tests tested positive for HSV1 and HSV 2. Still no surprise there. My question though were the levels.

IgG HSV 5.1
IgG HSV 11.2

IgM HSV 1/2 Titre: 1:20

What does that mean? Are higher levels indicative of a recent exposure? I can't find any information and some things I've read indicating a primary or recent infection? But because I've already tested positive for genital herpes, what's the deal??? On another note, all of this stress has caused me an outbreak that I KNOW was an outbreak.

Answer:
you didn't mention, if it was a blood test, as to if the IgG levels were for HSV1 or HSV2...do you have both oral and genital?

IgM levels are used to determine a recent outbreak, but can be contaminated by readings for chickenpox, ect....

it is confusing isnt it?