Thank you Terri for explaining the index values. You are the first health professional that has been able to give me answer. My only regret is not finding you sooner. Regarding a high index value can you further explain the part about "having a longer standing infection". How does that happen? Does it mean HSV1 has been active and contagious for quite some time? Does it mean I somehow keep getting re-infected say by kissing someone who has it and as a result it stays active longer? What can I do to lower the index value numbers? Can you explain longer standing vs having come in contact with HSV1 or HSV2 but perhaps not in an active state? I'm trying to figure out when to know if I am in an active state if I have no visible symptoms. It seems without these index values, I wouldn't have known that I have a long standing issue. Thank you in advance.

I can't give you an exact answer as to how long you've been infected.  It does mean that you have been infected (which is active) and potentially infectious, yes.  It is not due to getting reinfected, no.  The virus stays in your body and continues to be active periodically.  There is nothing you can do to lower the index value - the index value does not indicate how active the virus actually is or how likely you are to infect someone else.  Once you have the virus, there is no "not active state".  You would need to assume that you are intermittently infectious, even if you have no symptoms.  Taking daily antiviral medication will reduce the frequency with which the virus is active and that would reduce transmission to others. Remember that about half the population in the US between the ages of 14 and 49 are infected with HSV 1 so very very common. ---
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