So your HSV 1 is considered positive, yes. However, your index value is in what we call the low positive range. We define the low positive range as 1.1 to 3.5. About 50% of the people who test positive in this range have tests that are falsely positive. The closer the value is to 1.1, the more likely it is to be a false positive. Yours is a little more than half way to 3.5. If you were our patient at Westover Heights Clinic, we would send your blood to the University of Washington for the herpes western blot. When someone is diagnosed either with HSV 1 or HSV 2, we like to be absolutely certain we are correct and this western blot is considered the gold standard of herpes antibody testing. You can get this test either by ordering a test kit from UW or we can order the test for you at a Quest lab near you. Given your history, you may choose not to confirm, but if I was in your situation, I would definitely do it.
Terri