It also discusses how you’ve got the option to monitor for signs of herpes at home.
Most healthcare providers do not routinely test for herpes unless you specifically ask.
Cold sores in and around the mouth usually are due to HSV-1.
Illustration by Verywell
Check for lesions if you think you could have been exposed to the infection.
Know, though, that genital herpes infections are oftenasymptomatic.
If you do not have obvious symptoms, a blood test can help determine whether you have an infection.
Urine tests are typically not used to diagnose HSV-1 or HSV-2 infections.
Lab tests rely on swabs of cells found in vaginal tissue or sores, or vesicular fluid.
This is usually obtained with a gentle swab of the area.
A viral culture is a test that allows the virus to grow in a laboratory setting.
The NAT tests for the genetic material of the virus in the sample.
These tests should only come back positive if you have the virus present in the lesion.
In general, the results of the test are reliable if you have active lesions.
Herpes Blood Tests
It is possible to screen forasymptomaticherpes infections using a blood test.
Herpes blood tests can detectantibodiesto the herpes virus.
You form these proteins when you gotta fight an infection.
Generally, it takes about two weeks for your body to produce enough antibodies against herpes to be detectable.
However, testing before antibodies develop can lead to false negative results.
This is because it takes time for your body to make antibodies that can be detected in the blood.
There is some possibility that herpes blood tests may detect antibodies to similar viruses.
This result would lead to a false-positive result, suggesting you have the infection when you don’t.
In Newborns
The diagnosis of neonatal herpesan infection passed to a child during or after childbirthis challenging.
Generally, babies are not screened for herpes infection.
Some of these are quite serious, and it is not safe for you to self-diagnose.
Typically, these conditions can be distinguished from herpes with a medical examination or with laboratory tests.
How Is Herpes Treated?
Antiviral medications like acyclovir can be used to treat genital herpes.
Your healthcare provider will choose a treatment plan based on your specific infection and medical history.
Keep in mind that some people who have an HSV infection don’t have any symptoms.
Others may have a history of recurring infections that change how herpes is treated.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.
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