Diagnosis of HSV

A doctor should be consulted when the symptoms or sores are still present. A sample taken from the affected area can be tested for the herpes virus. If the sores have already healed, the test will not work.

Tests Available of HSV

If there are no visible symptoms but the person suspects that he/she has HSV, then blood tests can be done. Western Blot is the standard test for diagnosing HSV. New blood tests that are type specific have recently been approved by the FDA. They are faster, easier and less expensive than the Western Blot test.  POCkit HSV2 Rapid Test (Diagnology) is accurate in testing for HSV 2 that causes genital herpes. The test can give results in ten minutes or less. Meridian Premier (Meridian Diagnostics) and HerpeSelect (Focus Technologies) offer blood tests for the HSV 1 virus. However it cannot tell you whether it is a genital or oral infection.

Other tests which are available are:
•    Cell Culture Test
•    Antigen test
•    Pap Smear