Understanding Herpes 1 & 2 Antibodies: What They Mean

Antibodies to the herpes simplex viruses-1 and -2 (HSV-1 and -2) indicate that an individual's immune system has encountered and formed a response to these viruses as a result of infection, whether or not symptoms ever develop.

Function

• When a person contracts herpes simplex viruses-1 or -2 (or other viral or bacterial infections), the immune system develops antibodies to help fight off the infection.

Benefits

• Herpes infections are likely to have recurrent outbreaks after a person first becomes infected. The development of antibodies to HSV-1 or -2 means that future outbreaks will not be as severe as the initial outbreaks.

Significance

• Although a person who has herpes antibodies has been exposed to a herpes simplex virus, this does not necessarily indicate that that individual has ever had herpes symptoms.

Potential

• Because both oral and genital herpes can be spread even in the absence of symptoms, a person who has antibodies to a herpes simplex virus may still spread infection to other people.

Identification

• A blood test is done to detect the presence of herpes antibodies. About 70 percent of adults are positive for HSV-1 antibodies, and about 20 percent of adults are positive for HSV-2 antibodies.