Herpes Testing
Testing
There are a number of testing procedures to determine a Herpes infection. Proper
diagnostic procedures include a physical examination of infected areas by a qualified health care
professional. Most experienced practitioners are competent in identifying HSV by its visible
characteristics. Cell cultures are the standard test for confirmation, and must be taken by sampling
or swabbing an active lesion. Many experts recommend that a culture be taken even in the case of a
"classic herpes" visual diagnosis, to confirm the diagnosis and viral type.
Cultures are best when taken on a fresh lesion. Even then, the amount of virus present may
not be enough to get an accurate result. The amount of virus present is usually less in recurrent
Herpes outbreaks than on a first outbreak, and cultures of recurrent lesions have a very high (50%)
false negative rate. Suspected Herpes infections that show negative in culture may require
additional testing. However, a positive result by culture is a definite determinant of infection. Be
sure to obtain the viral type (HSV-1 or HSV-2) from your health care provider.
Most commercially available blood tests and titer tests are not accurate for determining
HSV type, the only exception being the Western Blot serology, which must be specially ordered and
processed through specialized labs. It usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks after initial infection for
antibodies to develop in the blood, so any blood test done prior to that time will result in a false
negative or inaccurate result. HerpeSite recommends that no other blood test be considered other
than the Western Blot for Herpes. Consult with your local medical labs and health care provider as
to availability, costs, and applicability of these procedures. Detailed information on the Western Blot
blood test for Herpes can be found at the Westover Heights Clinic Website (found on the Resources
Page).
Testing
There are a number of testing procedures to determine a Herpes infection. Proper
diagnostic procedures include a physical examination of infected areas by a qualified health care
professional. Most experienced practitioners are competent in identifying HSV by its visible
characteristics. Cell cultures are the standard test for confirmation, and must be taken by sampling
or swabbing an active lesion. Many experts recommend that a culture be taken even in the case of a
"classic herpes" visual diagnosis, to confirm the diagnosis and viral type.
Cultures are best when taken on a fresh lesion. Even then, the amount of virus present may
not be enough to get an accurate result. The amount of virus present is usually less in recurrent
Herpes outbreaks than on a first outbreak, and cultures of recurrent lesions have a very high (50%)
false negative rate. Suspected Herpes infections that show negative in culture may require
additional testing. However, a positive result by culture is a definite determinant of infection. Be
sure to obtain the viral type (HSV-1 or HSV-2) from your health care provider.
Most commercially available blood tests and titer tests are not accurate for determining
HSV type, the only exception being the Western Blot serology, which must be specially ordered and
processed through specialized labs. It usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks after initial infection for
antibodies to develop in the blood, so any blood test done prior to that time will result in a false
negative or inaccurate result. HerpeSite recommends that no other blood test be considered other
than the Western Blot for Herpes. Consult with your local medical labs and health care provider as
to availability, costs, and applicability of these procedures. Detailed information on the Western Blot
blood test for Herpes can be found at the Westover Heights Clinic Website (found on the Resources
Page).
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