Herpes Blood Test

A herpes blood test can be administered to a patient that thinks they might be infected with herpes. There are various ways to test for herpes and in the following article, we shall explore these possibilities, when are they needed and their success rate. But first let us talk about common symptoms of the herpes simplex virus to see if testing is right for you.

Symptoms

A patient does not usually need a herpes blood test because there are some obvious symptoms that are associated with the infection. A doctor can usually rule whether or not you are infected by the virus based on your symptoms.

Herpes simplex is transmitted through direct contact with another infected person. The virus enters the body and travels along the nerves until it reaches their roots along the spinal cord. There it multiplies and will remain latent for anywhere between four and seven days. When it manifests in what is called an outbreak, then symptoms like blisters can appear around the mouth for oral herpes or around the genital area for genital herpes. The blisters are usually small and packed together. They will burst in a short while causing painful sores.

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Determining whether it is truly herpes or not

So you may be experiencing some of these symptoms, but is it really herpes?

Canker sores are often mistaken for oral herpes as are genital warts for genital herpes. In order to accurately determine which of the two a patient is suffering from, a herpes blood test or viral culture can be performed.

Viral Swab Test

The most common tests that are done on a suspected herpes patient are the viral cultures. Using a swab, a doctor will take samples from the infected area and a viral culture will then establish whether it is truly herpes simplex. This method is pretty straightforward and can even determine if the virus is herpes simplex type 1 or 2.

Even so, if the virus has already retracted from the infected area then sensitivity will drop and the viral culture will show nothing. Several viral cultures are needed to accurately determine an infection. An antigen test can also be used to diagnose the patient. The antigen test works by detecting antigens from a swab of the sore. It is faster for a culture of the virus is not needed and often less expensive, but less accurate than a viral culture.

Blood Test For Herpes

Another way of testing herpes is through a herpes blood test. When the herpes invades your body, it will be seen as an intruder and you will start producing antibodies in order to fight it off. These antibodies will be present in your blood and a sample can reveal their presence.

The problem with this blood test is the fact that it usually fails to determine whether you have the herpes simplex type 1 or 2 virus. Also, there is a risk that if you take the blood test too early there will be no antibodies to find, for they were not released by the body yet. The good thing is that if you are indeed infected, it does not matter whether you present symptoms or not – the antibodies will be there even if the virus is latent.

Spinal Tap

In extreme cases, a spinal tap can be done in order to extract spinal fluid. The fluid is then analyzed and searched for the presence of the herpes simplex DNA. This test is called a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction) and it is painful and expensive, but it can give accurate results in a short time. Also, the PCR test can determine whether it is the virus behind cold sores or genital herpes.

If you suspect that you may have been infected with the herpes virus, get in touch with your doctor and avoid sexual activity.

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