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What Are Herpes Type 1 and Type 2 Antibodies?

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.

  1. 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.

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