First Off Your Partner May Not Have Cheated
False positives are a possibility with any test, but the U.S. Preventive Task Force reports some herpes tests may be wrong as often as half the time. Yes, half. That’s in part because the blood tests only detect antibodies to the virus, not the virus itself.
“Unlike some other STDs, there are no significant long-term health implications of herpes.”
The other option: Youve had cold sores since you were a kid, and thats why you have a positive herpes test. This is really important to understand. If you’ve had a cold sore, you’ve had the herpes virus, and your test will come back positive. That’s right: Mainstream blood tests don’t accurately distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 .
Or, maybe its positive because you or your partner were intimate years ago with someone who has herpes and just never had symptoms, which brings me to my next point…
Can A Blood Test Detect All Stds
There are also some STDs that cannot be detected by a blood test. These include:
The organisms that cause these diseases generally dont enter the bloodstream. Instead, they stay within the genital and urinary tracts. Because of this, a blood test is not the right type of test for these diseases. For HPV, testing generally uses a swab of the cervix, which is the entrance to the uterus. This swab is known as a Pap smear, and is usually performed as part of your regular gynecologist check. For the other diseases on this list, a urine test is most common, and a vaginal or urethral swab test can also be used.
It is possible to do a blood test for antibodies to these diseases. Antibodies are proteins that are produced by your immune system in response to an infection. However, this type of test would only indicate that you have been exposed at some point in the past, but doesnt indicate whether you have a current infection. For example, if you have antibodies to the bacteria that cause gonorrhea, this means you have been exposed to gonorrhea at some point, but it doesnt mean that you currently have gonorrhea. Because of this, the antibody test is not very useful, and this type of test for these STDs is rarely performed.
What Happens If I Test Positive For An Sti
First, remember to breathe. The side effects and health outcomes of many STIs can be treated, and many STIs are curable. Different treatment methods are used for different STIs. For some STIs, there are several treatment options. Here are two examples:
- Tested positive for chlamydia: You will be given a prescription for an antibiotic that will cure this case of chlamydia. It is important that you follow the treatment recommended by your health care provider completely. Always continue your medication until it is finished, even if your symptoms have gone away. You could still get chlamydia again if you have sex with someone who has chlamydia. So its important that your partner also get tested and treated for chlamydia before resuming sexual activity.
- Tested positive for herpes: You can take medications to treat the symptoms. Although herpes is not a curable STI, it is easily treatable with medication. Medications are also available to help prevent future outbreaks and minimize their severity, as well as lower the chances of passing the virus on to partners. About one in six adults have herpes in the U.S., and they live normal, healthy lives. Youre not alone! You can also join support groups for people with herpes to help you cope and prevent transmission to others.
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Who Is At Risk
Usually, HSV-1 is acquired during childhood by coming into contact with oral secretions that have the virus. HSV-2 is sexually transmitted. As many as 50-80% of individuals have some type of HSV by age 30! HSV-2 is slightly more common in women than in men. Anyone who is sexually active is at risk of HSV-2. The herpes virus can be transmitted from the skin even if there is no apparent sore.
Staying Safe While Avoiding Panic And Stigma
It can be tempting to freak out a little bit when you realize that herpes is both super-common and something you arent routinely getting tested for. So how do you process that information?
The first step is practicing the same safe sex that you know helps protect you from other STIs. Your best bet here is a barrier method like internal and external condoms for any penetration and physical shields such as dental dams for any oral play. Even though this wont fully protect you from herpes , it will reduce how much of your skin touches your partners.
This is why screening for herpes infection in the absence of any symptoms wouldnt really do much to cut back on casesthe advice would be the same: Practice safe sex with barrier methods. I agree right now with the recommendations not to screen people, but I think if we had a better diagnostic strategy, I would be much more in favor of routine screenings, Dr. Johnston says. It is important for people to know their status so they can protect themselves and their partners.
If you think you have herpes, see a doctor such as your ob/gyn or dermatologist , or go to your local health clinic. A medical expert can evaluate your symptoms, take samples for testing, and eventually offer treatment options if you need them.
You will likely be started on antiviral medications to help you heal faster and make you less contagious, Dr. Bard says.
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Do Gynecologists Test For Herpes
Your gynecologist will test for HIV, syphilis, and genital herpes by drawing blood and examining it for particular antibodies. Your doctor may also take a swab of gential sores to test for syphilis or herpes, but the results for herpes are not always conclusive with false-positive and false-negative results possible.
Is There Anything Else I Should Know
Herpes can make people more susceptible to HIV infection. The skin lesions give other sexually transmitted diseases , including HIV, openings for entering the body. Likewise, it can make HIV-infected individuals more infectious. Infection with HSV can also increase HIV viral load. HSV-2 infection is a significant opportunistic infection in HIV-infected individuals due to immune system deficiencies up to 90% of HIV-infected individuals are co-infected with HSV-2.
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How Long Does It Take For Symptoms Of Herpes To Appear
It generally takes anywhere from 4 to 7 days for herpes symptoms to appear. Both genital and oral herpes outbreaks have similar symptoms.
The primary symptom of a herpes outbreak is sores that resemble blisters, called herpes lesions, on the mouth or genitals.
In addition, people may also experience the following symptoms prior to the outbreak:
- pain and redness, especially around the area the outbreak will occur
- itching and tingling, primarily in the outbreak area
- flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, or swollen lymph nodes
Most of the symptoms that occur before an outbreak indicate that the virus is replicating. Symptoms are usually the worst during the first herpes outbreak.
According to the
Some people with the herpes virus are asymptomatic, which means that they dont experience any physical symptoms of the disease. This doesnt mean that they cant spread the disease, however.
Anyone who has the herpes virus, whether symptomatic or not, can spread the virus to others.
If you have the herpes virus and your body has produced antibodies, it can be detected on a blood test, even if you have no symptoms. The only time the virus might not be detected on a test is if youve been tested too early.
How Test Accuracy Is Measure
The accuracy of all medical tests, including herpes tests, is measured based on two values: sensitivity and specificity.
Sensitivityis how often a test correctly identifies someone with a disease. A test that is 90% sensitive will correctly identify 90 people out of 100 who have the disease. Ten people will have a false-negative result.
Specificity, on the other hand, refers to a test’s ability to correctly identify someone who doesn’t have the disease. If a test is 90% specific, that means that 90 people out of 100 will be correctly diagnosed as not having a disease and that 10 people will have a false-positive result.
The higher the sensitivity and specificity, the lower the chances of a false result.
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If I Get Tested For Stis At The Health Center Will It Go On My Academic Record
No, this information is kept strictly confidential and is not shared with the university in any way. Your information will go on your medical record in One Chart | Patient, but only you have access to this information and you choose who you share it with.
What is the cost?
Doctor-ordered chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV tests are covered by student fees. University students who are 24 or younger who do not have or cannot use insurance may qualify for a grant that covers some or all of the cost of most other STI testing at the health center. If you are interested in utilizing grant funds, speak to a medical receptionist or provider during your appointment for more details
Any charges you incur can be billed to your insurance. Nebraska Medicine participates with many insurance companies. Please bring your insurance card with you to your appointment.
Remember, if you use insurance, the primary insurance holder will receive information about what STI tests you received. If you pay for your STI tests by cash, check, Visa or Mastercard, you and only you will know what STI tests you received. If you do not want to submit your charge to insurance, please tell the front desk staff member at check-in.
So Why Is This Test Not Included Doesnt The Medical Community Care About Preventing Transmission
Although it may not feel this way, the doctors and researchers who established these guidelines have been quite thoughtful about them. If you read the documents, you can see that the researchers sensitively consider their decision from many different angles. In fact, you can learn a ton about the research on genital herpes and transmission where they discuss the reasoning for their decision.
The biggest contributing factor to the guidelines is that 1) standard herpes blood tests are not totally reliable and 2) receiving a herpes diagnosis can have a significant impact on mental health while being virtually non-threatening to your physical health.
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Which Stis Should I Get Tested For
STIs are not like allergies you cant do a massive test for all STIs. These tests are specific to each infection. Talk to your doctor about which STI tests you need. Certain STIs are more common than others, so your provider may suggest you get tested regularly for them.
Remember to be honest and open with your provider about your sexual history. They are there to help, not judge you. What you share will help your doctor choose the most appropriate tests for your circumstances so that your testing will not cost more than necessary. Your individual risk factors will determine exactly which tests are most important for you.
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One common question we get asked is Can Dormant Herpes Be Detected? The answer is YES IT CAN, as long as you get the right test!
Genital herpes is a virus that comes in two types, but both types act the same. As many as 4-5 times a year, the virus attacks your skin and causes an outbreak of sores, blisters or small pimples.
These take 2-4 weeks to fully heal. If someone else touches the sores, they can also become infected with Herpes. Even though you can see something is wrong with your body, these sores are often mistaken for other skin conditions like insect bites or a rash.
Eventually your body beats back the attack, but then the Herpes virus pulls a trick. It retreats back to the base of your spine, where it slowly builds up strength again, but also causes no trouble. This is called the Dormant phase.
During the Dormant phase, you have absolutely no symptoms, so it may seem tough to test whether you are infected. But here at Private Testing Center, we have a super accurate test that does just that.
You see, even though theres no outward sign that you have Herpes, your body still knows its infected. It constantly battles it with special ANTIBODIES. These are tiny assassins that ONLY kill the Herpes virus.
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What Do The Results Mean
Your HSV test results will be given as negative, also called normal, or positive, also called abnormal.
Negative/Normal. The herpes virus was not found. You may still have an HSV infection if your results were normal. It may mean the sample didn’t have enough of the virus to be detected. If you still have symptoms of herpes, you may need to get tested again.
Positive/Abnormal. HSV was found in your sample. It may mean you have an active infection , or were infected in the past .
If you tested positive for HSV, talk to your health care provider. While there is no cure for herpes, it hardly ever causes serious health problems. Some people may only have one outbreak of sores their whole lives, while others break out more often. If you want to reduce the severity and number of your outbreaks, your provider may prescribe a medicine that can help.
Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
Symptoms Of Utis And Herpes
In many cases, the symptoms experienced by a patient with genital herpes resemble those of a UTI at first, which can lead to the mistaken conclusion that herpes has caused the UTI. Rather, the initial symptoms that tend to occur one or two days before the sores of an outbreak appear may mimic those of a UTI. These include:
- A burning sensation when urinating
- Painful urination
- Frequent and urgent need to urinate, as well as difficulty urinating
However, as the symptoms progress, patients with genital herpes also experience:
- Numbness nad tingling or even burning in the genital area
- Watery blisters in and around the genitals
- Tenderness and sores near the rectum
These additional sores, once burst, can take up to four weeks to heal. Throughout this time, hygiene is of the utmost importance to assure that bacteria dont settle into these sores or transfer bacteria from them to the urethra.
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How Is Herpes Treated
Herpes cannot be cured, but it can be managed. Medications are available that can prevent or shorten the duration of herpes outbreaks. There is a medicine that you can take on a daily basis that can help prevent outbreaks and also lower your risk of spreading the virus to others. Talk to your healthcare provider about your options. Antiviral medications such as acyclovir, famciclovir and valacyclovir can suppress outbreaks and shorten the duration of symptoms and active shedding of virus.
Will I Need To Do Anything To Prepare For The Test
You donât need any special preparations for a blood test. If youâre a woman, you may need to avoid douches and vaginal creams for 24 hours before a urine or swab test.
You may need to empty your bladder before a lumbar puncture.
Your provider will let you know if you need to make any other preparations.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Herpes
Oral herpes is an infection in the mouth, caused by HSV-1 . Symptoms often include cold sores or fever blisters, but you can have oral herpes without any symptoms.
The herpes simplex virus can be dormant until an active outbreak occurs. The initial infection typically has the worst symptoms, ranging from flu-like symptoms and swollen lymph nodes to headaches. Sores may occur in and around the lips and mouth. Recurring infections are usually milder, and may include redness, itching, or swelling. Painful, fluid-filled blisters can occur and are highly contagious. These blisters often turn into sores , which will then scab over and typically heal in a few days.
Symptoms of genital herpes range from none to more severe manifestations . The majority of genital HSV infections are mild, with little to no symptoms following the initial outbreak. For people who do experience symptoms, the usual course begins with genital inflammation, where the skin may itch or burn. Blister-like sores may appear. The sores may open, scab over, and heal.
Other indirect symptoms that can occur during an active herpes virus infection include fever, headaches, muscle aches, and a burning sensation during urination.
If you think you may have a herpes infection, home testing could be a convenient option for you. If youâre wondering how to get tested for herpes at home, thereâs good news: testing for HSV-2 is easy with the Everlywell female STD Test or male STD Test.
Are There Other Types Of Herpes Viruses Besides Hsv
Yes. There are over 25 viruses in the herpes family and at least 8 types that infect humans. These include herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 discussed in this article as well as varicella zoster virus , associated with chickenpox and shingles, Epstein Barr virus , which can cause infectious mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus , human herpes virus 6 and human herpes virus 7 , both associated with roseola in young children, and human herpes virus 8 , which has been found in tumors in people with Kaposi’s sarcoma . KS primarily affects people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS and organ transplant recipients.
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