Audrey-B

I had the Western Blot blood test done, which might be what idunno78 is talking about. It tests for specific types of herpes. I don't know of other tests, but that was the one which was offered to me by the clinic i attended as being the most accurate type of test, besides an actual swabbing from a sore.

I'm not sure if it varies from clinic to clinc or country to country, but i went back recently to ask for my actual results/antibody count. I wanted to know an actual figure and not just positive/negative, but i was told there is no such thing and if you are positive or negative, then that's all you will be informed of. I was told that this is the case b/c if you are postive or negative, what difference is an actual figure going to make. I just left it at that then, but i would have liked to have known the figure as mine came back with a negative for both types 1 and 2, but i've had type one around my mouth off and on for most of my life. I realise it's just a common cold sore, but i would have thought that it would show up as being positive on my blood test. Then i began thinking if the test was wrong for type 1, then maybe it could be wrong for type 2? but i was told that the Western Blot is a highly accurate blood test, especially if you are being tested 8 or more weeks after you believe that you had been infected. Anyway, i did get a positive result a few months down the track when my first ob was swabbed and cultured.