Herpes (HSV) Test
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| Herpes (HSV) Test : What is a herpes (HSV) test? Herpes is a common viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Most people with HSV don't have any symptoms. But HSV can cause painful blisters or sores on the affected parts of the body. HSV mostly affects the mouth (oral herpes) and the vagina or penis (genital herpes), but it can also affect the eyes and other parts of the skin. HSV tests look for signs of the herpes simplex virus usually in a sample of your blood or fluid from a sore. There are two main types of HSV, and testing can tell which type you have: - HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes, which can result in cold sores ("fever blisters") on or around your mouth. Most people get oral herpes by the time they're young adults. It's usually spread by non-sexual contact with saliva (spit) from a person who has an HSV-1 infection. That may happen if you share forks, cups, or towels. HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes. This may happen if you receive oral sex from a partner with a cold sore. - HSV-2 is the most common cause of genital herpes. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). That means you get it through sexual contact with a person who has a herpes infection. You can catch genital herpes from someone even if they don't have symptoms. HSV-2 can also spread to the mouth, causing oral herpes. This may happen if you give oral sex to a person who has genital herpes from HSV-2. HSV infections are likely to clear up and come back in the future, but outbreaks tend to be milder and less frequent over time. Repeat outbreaks happen more often with HSV-2 than with HSV-1. So, testing to find out which type you have helps you know what to expect. There are a few types of HSV tests: - A swab test takes a sample of fluid from a sore, which may be used to do:A viral culture. For this test, cells from your sample are grown in a lab and then checked for HSV.A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. This test looks for genetic material from HSV in your sample. - A blood test looks for HSV antibodies in a blood sample. HSV antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes fight the virus. Your body makes different antibodies for HSV-1 and HSV-2. This test can be done when you don't have sores. There is no cure for HSV, but medicines can help manage outbreaks. HSV usually doesn't cause any major health problems. But if you're pregnant and have genital herpes, you can pass the virus to your child. This can lead to a life-threatening HSV infection for your baby. In rare cases, HSV can infect your brain and spinal cord, causing serious illness. Other names: herpes culture, herpes simplex viral culture, HSV-1 antibodies, HSV-2 antibodies, HSV DNA | |
| Review Date: 07/08/2023 | Updated By: |