What kinds of herpes blood tests are available?

If you suspect you have herpes, getting tested is a good idea. Accurate testing will lead to a proper diagnosis and help you get on the path to treatment. Some people diagnose themselves by symptoms alone and that can lead to years of problems. Testing can accurately (in a vast majority of cases) determine whether you have the herpes and what type of herpes you do have.

There are two main types of herpes tests – blood and viral culture. This article will focus on blood tests specificially. Why? The main advantage of taking a blood test is that no symptoms need to be present at the time of the test. These diagnostics don’t actually detect the virus; rather, they look for antibodies (items that are created as a way to defend the body from foreign matter such as bacteria and viruses).

These types of tests are referred to as serology. Serology can help show that the infection has occurred when it’s difficult to obtain or transport a sample of the virus. When performed corrected serological testing can determine whether the person has the HSV-1 or HSV-2 form of the Herpes Virus. Of course, it is possible to get a false positive (or negative) from one of these tests, especially if you perform it yourself … it is possible to purchase these testing kits over the internet these days…so it is usually preferable to have a reputable lab do the blood work and have your doctor oversee the results.

Currently, there are four Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved blood tests. These are:

• biokitHSV-2 Rapid Test
• HerpeSelect® HSV-1 and HSV-2 tests
• Herpes Western blot
• CAPTIA™ HSV IgG Type-Specific ELISAs

You may wish to ask for them for name when discussing the possibilities with your health care provider.