Herpes I (HSV-1) IgG details

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) IgG indicates past exposure to this extremely common virus, most often associated with oral herpes (cold sores) but increasingly also a cause of genital herpes through oral-genital contact. Once infected, the virus stays in the body for life in a dormant state within nerve cells, periodically reactivating in some people to cause recurrent cold sores or other symptoms, while many people carry the virus without ever having noticeable outbreaks. A positive IgG result indicates past infection at some point, not necessarily an active outbreak at the time of testing.