Diagnostic Tests for Genital herpes
Diagnostic tests for Genital herpes:
Genital herpes is diagnosed based on a complete evaluation, including a history and physical exam. Your health care provider will also evaluate your symptoms and order medical tests to rule-out other causes of symptoms, such as an allergic rash, or determine possible coexisting conditions, such as other sexually transmitted diseases.
A viral culture of fluid form the blister or sore is taken and sent to a lab to see if one or both of the herpes simplex viruses are present. There are also new antibody tests that can determine if a person has an HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection and if they been exposed in the distant or recent past.
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Genital herpes:
- Home STD Testing
- Sexuality & Libido: Home Testing:
- Liver Health & Hepatitis: Home Testing
Genital herpes Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Tests and diagnosis discussion for Genital herpes:
Genital Herpes: DSTD (Excerpt)
The signs and symptoms
associated with HSV-2 can vary greatly. Health care providers can diagnose
genital herpes by visual inspection if the outbreak is typical, and by
taking a sample from the sore(s). HSV infections can be difficult to
diagnose between outbreaks. Blood tests which detect HSV-1 or HSV-2
infection may be helpful, although the results are not always clear
cut. (Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes: DSTD)
Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
Because the
genital herpes sores may not be visible to the naked eye, a doctor
or other health care worker may have to do several laboratory tests
to try to prove that any other symptoms are caused by the herpes
virus. A person may still have genital herpes, however, even if the
laboratory tests don’t show the virus in the body.
A blood
test cannot show whether a person can infect another person with the
herpes virus. A blood test, however, can show if a person has been
infected at any time with HSV. There are also newer blood tests that
can tell whether a person has been infected with HSV 1 and/or 2.
(Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
Diagnosis of Genital herpes: medical news summaries:
The following medical news items
are relevant to diagnosis of Genital herpes:
Genital herpes remains one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases, but most don't know they are infected. Learn how to stay safe and...
Join our panel of experts for a discussion of herpes treatment and prevention.
Most of us are familiar with the symptoms of the flu—fever, chills, fatigue, stuffy nose, sore throat. Most of us know that it is caused by the...
Whenever you go to a hospital or clinic for a major procedure or diagnostic test, one of the many forms you are given to sign is an "informed...
See full list of 4 related videos
» Next page: Diagnosis of Genital herpes
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
