Truthseek

Basically two tests can be run. If there are sores/blisters/lesions present that are 'fresh' a swab of the area can be done and it is cultured. (ALWAYS make sure you ask the Doctor to "type it" - meaning determine whether type 1 or type 2!!!!) A positive herpes test on a swab culture is virtually 100% accurate. A negative result could be because the sore has started to heal and there is not enough virus material captured in the swab. So try and get there ASAP if you notice symptoms of an outbreak.

Blood tests exist which measure the antibodies that are produced by the body in response to herpes. Be careful though. Many doctors are not up to date on their tests and still order an old unreliable test referred to as the IGM antibody test. If your doctor wants to order that test then run for the hills for another doctor. The correct test which is recommended by the Center For Disease Control is an IGG blood test. There are other tests out there too - assay, pcr which also should not be used. HerpeSelect is the most common 'brand' name of the IgG test. There is also The Western Blot IGG test which is the gold standard for herpes testing done out of the University of Washington. However, it is a little more complicated to get because usually a lab draws the blood and ships it out to them via special packaging. And the wait is longer as they got a lot of testing cases.

GENERALLY it takes the average person 3-4 months after a possible sexual encounter with herpes to produce enough antibodies to show up in the blood. Personally, I would recommend that if you have some symptoms that look like herpes to ask for both a swab and a blood test AT THAT SAME TIME. The reason for this is if the swab turns up positive and the blood test is negative it USUALLY means that this is a new infection acquired within that 3-4 month time frame. It's a snapshot of that time period and can help determine the who/when/where you got it from questions that crop up and haunt us all.

Hope that helps. Sometimes my rambling does not make sense. :-)

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HSV-2 positive. Found out 9-27-07. Flu-like symptom 6-7-07.
Year one outbreaks Sep Oct Nov Dec Apr Jun. Ugh.
Year two outbreaks Dec Apr/May