How Is Testing For Herpes Done

V Symptoms Of Oral Herpes

In addition to the presence of fever blisters and cold sores around the mouth, the following symptoms of oral herpes may appear:

• Newborns may experience fever, become lethargic, or have seizures.
• Young children may also experience fever or flu-like symptoms.
• Adults may have a sore throat and lymph node swelling.

If you have symptoms, avoid kissing people on the mouth, performing oral sex, or sharing items such as cups and utensils.

While some people experience severe or mild symptoms, others may not have any symptoms.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sti Testing

By Donna White | Aug. 16, 2018, 2:01 p.m.

Missouri has STIs. Do you? Theres only one way to find out: get yourself tested.

Many people know they should get tested for STIs, but arent sure how testing works or what to expect when they get to the health center. Sexually transmitted infections may seem scary, but getting yourself tested doesnt have to be. Here are some of the most common questions we get about STI testing.

Diagnosis & Interpreting Results

Different labs provide different results for the same test. Some herpes test results may be phrased as positive, negative, yes, no, or may even provide a reference range indicating whether you are normal or not. If there is ever any confusion over what your results mean, we encourage you to call in and speak to a certified health education specialist. 7

What does it mean when your results say:

• Positive: indicates that you do have the herpes virus
• Negative: indicates that you do not have the herpes virus
• Yes: indicates that you do have the herpes virus
• No: indicates that you do not have the herpes virus
• Abnormal: indicates that you do have the herpes virus
• Normal: indicates that you do not have the herpes virus
• Equivocal: indicates that your test results were unclear
• Undetermined: indicates that your test results were unclear
• Reference Range: If you only see numbers on your results, these are most likely a reference range, that shows how many antibodies your body had built up against the virus. Because of variation in lab equipment and standards, different ranges can mean different things for the same test, depending on the lab and region that you are in. Your results should show whether you are within the desired range or not, but if there is ever any confusion, you should call in and speak to one of our certified health education specialists for help interpreting your results.

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Can Herpes Simplex Virus Cause Serious Infections

Yes. The most serious, or life-threatening, HSV infections can occur in newborns who are infected during birth and in individuals with weakened immune systems , such as organ transplant recipients and people with HIV/AIDS. Neonatal herpes is a serious condition, but also very rare. While 25-30% of pregnant women have genital herpes, less than 0.1% of babies born in the U.S. each year get neonatal herpes. This means that most women with genital herpes give birth to healthy babies.

HSV lesions tend to be more extensive and persist longer in newborns and immunocompromised people than in individuals who have healthy immune systems.

What Are The Symptoms And Signs Of Herpes

Oral and genital Herpes infections often have no symptoms or mild symptoms that can either go unnoticed or be mistaken for other types of bacterial or fungal infections, in both men and women. Occasionally, the virus may be present with no visible signs and can still be passed on, by a process called ‘asymptomatic viral shedding’.

Did you know?

1 in 3 people with Herpes will have symptoms, whilst 2 in 3 will only have mild symptoms or none at all.

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What If You Test Positive

If you test positive for herpes, then you have the herpes virus. There is no way of knowing whether you have oral herpes or genital herpes unless the symptoms occur orally or genitally. As there is no cure for herpes, there is nothing that can be done to cure the virus, except to treat symptoms as they occur.

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What If I Test Positive For Herpes

Since the virus stays in the nerves surrounding the infected area permanently, there is no cure to eliminate the virus from the body. However, there are many treatments which are very effective at reducing both the severity and frequency of any outbreaks.

Creams and medications are available to manage the symptoms and keep outbreaks under control. If you test positive for Herpes, your Better2Know doctor will be able to prescribe the right treatment for you. You are most likely to pass the virus on when you have symptoms, so you should abstain or practice safe sex with a condom during this time.

There are also organisations who can support you such as The STI Project which provides an online forum for people to share their stories.

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Best Affordable Herpes Test: Healthlabs

HealthLabs offers laboratory-based herpes tests. These may be the best option for people who do not have health insurance and those working with small budgets.

After placing an order, the person receives a laboratory requisition form, which they need to print out and present at a laboratory. The company claims it has 4,500 laboratory locations, and individuals should receive their test results within 23 business days.

HealthLabs has three herpes tests available for purchase:

• a test for HSV-1, which costs $45
• a test for HSV-2, which costs $45
• a test for HSV-1 and HSV-2, which costs $79

People may also order at-home tests for other STIs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV.

To order either herpes test, a person must access the company website and enter their ZIP code to find their nearest testing center.

The company claims it has over 4,000 private test centers across the United States.

After ordering the herpes test, a person can walk into their local center to receive the testing. An appointment is not necessary.

The test procedure involves a simple blood test and urine sample, which typically takes a matter of minutes. A person can expect to receive their online test results within 13 days.

Herpes Testing: Types Accuracy Timing And Necessity

In this section, weâll give you information about herpes testing.

Testing is what ultimately establishes or rule out a diagnosis of herpes. All the other weâve talked aboutâwhat you feel, what you see, and your odds of getting itâhelp us with the diagnosis, but theyâve canât establish it or confirm it.

This section will summarize the different types of herpes tests, their accuracy, how theyâre interpreted, and when theyâre necessary. Tables with important statistics will be followed by FAQ answered by âDr. F,â an STD expert.

So, if you want to know all about herpes testing, this chapter is for you!

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A Quick Look At The 6 Best At

• Best herpestest subscription:LetsGetChecked
• Best STI panel test for herpes:Everlywell
• Best convenient herpestest:MyLAB Box
• Best affordable herpes test:HealthLabs
• Best test for early herpes detection:Priority STD
• Best herpes test for quick results: STDcheck

MNT chooses at-home tests that meet the following criteria where possible:

• Laboratories: Where possible, MNT will choose companies that process test samples in labs. This means they follow state and federal regulations.
• Budget: MNT chooses at-home tests that suit a wide range of budgets.
• Privacy: MNT includes companies that offer robust and transparent privacy measures, such as data protection and discreet packaging.
• Test result speed: MNT selects companies that inform customers when they will receive their test results and whether they will receive them via email, app, or phone.
• Further support: MNT will indicate whether a company offers further support, such as a follow-up phone consultation with a doctor to discuss test results.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.

Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.

How Can People Test For Herpes

A person can ask for a herpes test at any sexual health clinic or a doctors office. A healthcare professional will either swab a blister or draw a blood sample.

At-home herpes tests often require a blood sample through a finger prick.

Once a person receives their test results, they should contact a doctor to discuss treatment options, if necessary.

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How We Chose The Best At

When researching at-home herpes tests, we considered online reviews, privacy protocols, result times, result accuracy, and budget.

We prioritized affordable pricing and accessibility to digital results. Additionally, we kept an eye on user ratings and reviews to ensure that most people received accurate results and were happy with their experience.

What To Think About

• Normal test results do not mean you do not have a herpes infection.
• Herpes is often diagnosed by symptoms and by knowing whether the person has had contact with an infected person. Sometimes a test is not needed. A person who has genital herpes needs to learn how to avoid spreading the disease, because the disease is more likely to be spread when he or she has sores. If you have recurrent outbreaks, especially during times of stress or illness, you can also spread the disease.
• You may want to know whether a herpes infection is due to HSV-1 or HSV-2 so you can take steps to prevent or treat outbreaks.
• A genital herpes infection can be spread from a mother to her baby during vaginal delivery. In a newborn, herpes can cause organ failure, brain infection, and death. If active herpes is present near the time of delivery, a caesarean delivery may be done to prevent infecting the baby.

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When Should I Get A Genital Or Oral Herpes Test

Testing for the viruses that cause genital and oral herpes may be ordered when a patient develops signs and symptoms of a herpes infection. Although many people who contract HSV never notice symptoms, signs of an initial infection appear 2 to 20 days after infection and depend on the type of HSV causing the infection.

When signs and symptoms of an initial infection occur, they may include:

• Small sores on the skin
• Tingling, itching, or burning on the skin
• Fever, headache, or body aches
• Swollen lymph nodes

After the initial infection, HSV remains dormant inside of the body. HSV can reactivate throughout a patients life, causing symptoms of genital or oral herpes to reappear. While the trigger for an HSV outbreak is often unknown, potential triggers include a fever, stress, physical trauma, and a suppressed immune system.

Generally, expert organizations do not recommend herpes testing for patients without symptoms. An exception may be made for certain patients, including:

• Patients who have a partner with genital herpes
• Patients seeking a more complete STD test panel, including people with multiple sexual partners
• Babies born to a mother who has HSV

The Accuracy Of Various Herpes Tests

This table summarizes the overall accuracy of different herpes tests. Please especially pay attention to the most common test, the IgG testâand most importantly to its false positive and false negative rates.

The table has three columns:

• Test accuracy: how accurate is the test in detecting the herpes virus
• False positive: the test detects the presence of herpes, but the person doesnât actually have it
• False negative: the test doesnât detect the presence of herpes, but the person does have it

Please note: the numbers in the table are averages and may vary from case to case based on factors such as when the test is performed , the testing technique, and the herpes viral load.

* The Washington University test is considered the âgold standardâ blood test. The false-negative and false-positive rates for the commercially available IgG test are based on a comparison to the Western blot results of the Washington University test.

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How Is The Test Used

Herpes testing may be used a few different ways:

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend screening for herpes in the general population, but it may be helpful in some cases, such as:

• If you have signs and symptoms, such as genital sores that may be related to herpes
• If you have or had a sex partner with genital herpes
• If you would like to have a complete exam for sexually transmitted diseases , especially if you have multiple sex partners if this is the case, you should discuss STD testing with your healthcare practitioner.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Genital Herpes

Most people infected with HSV-2 are not aware of their infection. However, the signs and symptoms of herpes during an initial outbreak can be quite pronounced. The first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks after the virus is transmitted, but the sores will also typically heal within two-to-four weeks. Other signs and symptoms during the primary episode may include a second crop of sores, and flu-like symptoms, such as fever and swollen glands. However, most individuals with HSV-2 infection never have sores, or they have very mild signs that they do not even notice or that they mistake for insect bites or other skin conditions like ingrown hairs or acne.

People who have one genital herpes outbreak can expect to have several more within a year. Over time, these outbreaks usually decrease in frequency. It is possible for a person to only become aware of the first episode years after the infection is acquired.

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Can I Still Have Sex If I Have Herpes

If you have herpes, you should talk to your sex partner and let him or her know that you do and the risk involved. Using condoms may help lower this risk but it will not get rid of the risk completely. Having sores or other symptoms of herpes can increase your risk of spreading the disease. Even if you do not have any symptoms, you can still infect your sex partners.

You may have concerns about how genital herpes will impact your overall health, sex life, and relationships. It is best for you to talk to a health care provider about those concerns, but it also is important to recognize that while herpes is not curable, it can be managed with medication. Daily suppressive therapy for herpes can also lower your risk of spreading genital herpes to your sex partner. Be sure to discuss treatment options with your healthcare provider. Since a genital herpes diagnosis may affect how you will feel about current or future sexual relationships, it is important to understand how to talk to sexual partners about STDsexternal icon.

Treatment Of Genital Herpes

Genital herpes will clear by itself however, seeking treatment early can significantly reduce the time the outbreak lasts and can help the healing process. It also reduces the risk of you passing it on to someone else.

You will be given antivirals which work by preventing the virus from multiplying but it does not clear the virus from your body completely.

Treatment is usually started within five days of the start of the first outbreak. Treatment involves taking antiviral tablets daily for five days. There are various types of antivirals that may be prescribed, common ones include aciclovir, famciclovir and valaciclovir.

INFORMATION

Antibiotics will not work because genital herpes is a virus not a bacteria. The treatment you buy for oral cold sores will not work either.

Some people find that another course of antivirals helps with further outbreaks. For people who have multiple outbreaks , they may be given longer courses of medication. This is known as suppressive treatment. This means taking antiviral medication for a longer time period.

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What Abnormal Results Mean

A positive test means you have been infected with HSV recently or at some point in the past.

Tests can be done to help determine if you have a recent infection.

About 70% of adults have been infected by HSV-1 and have antibodies against the virus. About 20% to 50% of adults will have antibodies against the HSV-2 virus, which causes genital herpes.

HSV stays in your system once you have been infected. It may be asleep , and cause no symptoms, or it may flare up and cause symptoms. This test cannot tell whether you are having a flare-up.