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.
What About My Test Results
Some results may be available on the day you attend. Results from samples sent to the laboratory can take up to 10 days to return. If any of your results come back as positive we will contact you as soon as possible. This is why it is important for us to have your correct details. In some situations you may need to re-attend for your results or for treatment. This will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.
If you have a sexual health check at your family doctors the standard tests you should be offered are:
- A blood test for HIV and syphilis
- A urine test for gonorrhoea, chlamydia for males
- A vaginal swab for gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomaniasis for females
- A rectal swab and oral swab for gonorrhoea, chlamydia if you are a man who has sex with men.
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Protect Yourself And Your Partner With Rapid Std Testing
Knowing your STD status can empower you and your partner to make smart, informed decisions about your sexual health and also foster trust and intimacy. Get in touch with us at Rapid STD Testing to order a test or panel, or visit your local STD testing center to get peace of mind for you and your partner.
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The Different Types Of Herpes
Herpes, or the herpes simplex virus, is a highly contagious and common virus that causes cold sores and genital herpes. You may become infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 or herpes simplex virus type 2 . Each type of virus causes unique symptoms, so its important to understand their differences.
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Genital Herpes Treatment In Pregnancy
You may be offered antiviral treatment:
- to treat outbreaks in pregnancy
- from 36 weeks to reduce the chance of an outbreak during birth
- from diagnosis until the birth if you first get herpes after 28 weeks of pregnancy
Many women with genital herpes have a vaginal delivery. You may be offered a caesarean, depending on your circumstances.
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Are There Any Risks To The Test
There is no known risk to having a swab test.
There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
If you had a lumbar puncture, you may have pain or tenderness in your back where the needle was inserted. You may also get a headache after the procedure.
When Should You Get Tested
The best time to get tested for herpes varies, depending on whats happening.
If youre exhibiting symptoms of an initial outbreak which include pain, itching and redness of the affected location fatigue, fever and chills and, ultimately, painful sores or ulcers its best to see a healthcare professional about getting tested.
However, if you think youve been exposed to the virus and arent yet exhibiting symptoms, HSV may take some time before being able to show results on a test. While the exact time frame is unknown and varies from person to person, two weeks is usually enough time to yield accurate test results.
Most people become concerned about being infected with the herpes virus after contact with a potentially infected person. Often, simple things like kissing someone with a visible cold sore or facial acne around the lips can cause concern about HSV-1.
For genital herpes, most people become concerned about potentially being infected after sexual contact with a person that shows symptoms of herpes. This can include oral sex with someone that has cold sores, which can potentially spread to the genitals.
Since herpes is asymptomatic in many people, you could be infected with the virus even if you dont have any symptoms.
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Can You Be Tested For Herpes Without Symptoms
You can test for herpes with and without symptoms. If you do not have symptoms then you should have a blood test, but you must wait at least 4 to 6 weeks since any potential exposure. If you do have symptoms, you should choose a swab test to take a PCR swab of the suspected herpes blister or rash. If you would prefer not to have a swab, then you can choose to provide a urine sample. A urine sample is also the preferred sample if you have an outbreak near your urethra .
Remember even if you had sex with a new partner 4 to 6 weeks ago and have no symptoms, you could still have herpes. The only way to know is to get tested.
What Type Of Tests Do You Need To Screen For Different Stds
There isnt one universal test for all STDs, as they attack the body in unique ways. Here are the specific tests you should expect when getting tested for each particular STD.
- HIV: specific antigen/antibody blood test
- chlamydia : blood, swab, or urine tests
- gonorrhea : blood, swab, or urine tests
- syphilis: blood tests
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Preparing For The Genital Herpes Test And Consultation
If you see your GP or visit a GUM clinic, they will ask a number of questions about your condition before providing a diagnosis. Your doctor will most likely ask you about your symptoms, recent sexual encounters, your STI history, whether you use condoms and whether you are taking any medication. You should use your consultation to ask any questions you may have with regards to your condition, your risk of STIs and how to avoid infecting future partners.
What Happens If I Dont Receive Treatment
Genital herpes can cause painful genital sores and can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems.
If you touch your sores or fluids from the sores, you may transfer herpes to another body part like your eyes. Do not touch the sores or fluids to avoid spreading herpes to another part of your body. If you do touch the sores or fluids, quickly wash your hands thoroughly to help avoid spreading the infection.
If you are pregnant, there can be problems for you and your unborn fetus, or newborn baby. See Im pregnant. How could genital herpes affect my baby? for information about this.
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How Long Do Sti Test Results Take
STI test results can take between five and 10 days. If you have testing done at Planned Parenthood, well contact you ONLY if your results are positive. If this is the case, well give you a call to ask you to come back for follow up. Planned Parenthood does not contact patients if the results are negative. Patients can view negative results in the Patient Portal. If you want to confirm a negative result or want a copy for your records, please call the health center or stop by for a copy.
If the result is positive or inconclusive, we will call you to notify you of the results and ask you to make a follow up appointment to receive treatment or further services. The call also gives you a chance to ask questions.
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Herpes Testing : What Are Your Options
Medically reviewed by Michele Emery, DNP
Are you worried you might have been exposed to the herpes virus?
First: donât panic. The HSV viruses are a lot more common than you may think, and are very manageable in most cases.
Second: if you think youve been exposed to the herpes virus, testing is going to be your first plan of action.
Take a couple deep breaths and when youâre ready, read on.
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How Long Should I Wait For Chlamydia To Show On Tests
There are various chlamydia tests you can undergo to get diagnosed with this infection. Depending on which test you take, the time will vary. There are three ways to get diagnosed for chlamydia, and those are a swab, urine, or blood test.
For a swab test, the doctor will take a cotton stickto sample the infected fluid or tissue. This sample will then be taken to thelab, where experienced technicians will analyze the growth of the bacteria andsee how much it has developed.
A urine test is analyzed the same way. The urine isstored in a sealed cup and sent off for testing. If the technicians find anybacteria present in the urine, it will mean youve been infected. A blood test,on the other hand, is a more painful method, but the most reliable one. Theblood sample will be taken to the lab to analyze all the antibodies and seewhether this infection has infected the bloodstream.
So, the results you will get will depend on the typeof test you selected:
- Forswab results chlamydia shows up in 2 to 3 days
- Forblood tests chlamydia can show up instantly if the blood is inspected on site
- Forurine tests it can take up to 2 or 5 days for chlamydia to show up
Why Genital Herpes Comes Back
Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex. Once you have the virus, it stays in your body.
It will not spread in your body to cause blisters elsewhere. It stays in a nearby nerve and causes blisters in the same area.
If you can, avoid things that trigger your symptoms.
Triggers can include:
- surgery on your genital area
- a weakened immune system for example, from having chemotherapy for cancer
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Herpes Viral Culture Of Lesion
Culture – herpes simplex virus Herpes simplex virus culture Herpes zoster virus culture
Herpes viral culture of a lesion is a laboratory test to check if a skin sore is infected with the herpes virus.
A viral lesion culture is performed to confirm herpes simplex virus present in a skin lesion. The specimen is collected by scraping the suspected skin lesion or aspirating fluid from the lesion. Results are available within 16 hours to 7 days of receipt of the specimen, depending on the culture method used.
How Can I Prevent Genital Herpes
If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting genital herpes:
- Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have herpes.
- Using condoms the right way every time you have sex.
Be aware that not all herpes sores occur in areas that a condom can cover. Also, the skin can release the virus from areas that do not have a visible herpes sore. For these reasons, condoms may not fully protect you from getting herpes.
If your sex partner has/have genital herpes, you can lower your risk of getting it if:
- Your partner takes an anti-herpes medicine every day. This is something your partner should discuss with his or her healthcare provider.
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When Should You Consider Getting Tested
Herpes is a sneaky, deceitful virus. It hides deep inside your nerve cells for unpredictable periods of time before triggering visible symptoms. In many cases, it infects the body and spreads to others without any obvious signs at all. As many as 90 percent of people infected with herpes are unaware they have the virus because theyve never experienced an outbreak.
People who dont have symptoms are more likely to transmit the herpes virus through a phenomenon known as asymptomatic shedding. This occurs when the virus sheds from the skin and spreads to others, even when no sores are present. Asymptomatic shedding is undetectable as there are no signs or symptoms, but it’s real.
According to research, at least 70% of infected people experience asymptomatic shedding of HSV-1 at least once a month. Many may even shed the herpes virus without symptoms more than six times per month.
Given that the herpes virus doesnt always trigger outbreaks and symptoms, testing is an important way to monitor your health. The CDC recommends testing if you are experiencing symptoms that could be related to herpes or if you recently had sex with a new partner who has genital herpes.
Remember, its possible that early herpes symptoms may not seem related to herpes. An initial herpes outbreak causes flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, fever and chills. These symptoms may be paired with pain, itching and redness around the affected area.
Cost And Health Insurance
Depending on where you live and the lab you use, your HSV IgG blood test can cost between $35 and $80. Public clinics tend to be cheaper.
Genital HSV is considered an STI. But dont assume that a free STI clinic will have the test or provide it free of charge. Some may only offer free testing for:
Search for free or low-cost STI clinics in your area by using the GetTested locator offered by the CDC.
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Transmissible Even When Dormant
Its possible to transmit herpes to another person whether you experience an outbreak or not.
Transmission with no symptoms is due to asymptomatic viral shedding. For example, research has found that in people with HSV-1, the virus can be reactivated in the body and allow for transmission to others without any lesions present. HSV-2 also can be transmitted without symptoms present.
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What Tests Are Available For Genital Herpes
Common methods for testing genital herpes include swabs, blood testing, and visual examination by a healthcare provider.
The most common testing method in Canada is swabbing the lesionâs surface and sending it to a lab for testing. This cell culture test can determine whether HSV-1 or HSV-2 caused the genital herpes infection.
Swab testing is most likely to detect HSV when completed within 72 hours of symptoms first appearing.
Getting regular STI tests is a critical way to prevent infection or reinfection of sexual partners. â
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Precautions And Prevention Of Herpes
It is not possible to prevent all exposure to herpes simplex.
The virus is common, and is not always transmitted via sexual contact.
Many people who have HSV-1 do not even know they were exposed. It is possible to get exposed in childhood and never have active outbreaks.
It is possible to practice safe sexual hygiene and prevent the transmission of genital herpes.
You can minimize this risk by:
- Avoiding sexual contact, kissing, or any type of contact with active sores from someone who is having a current outbreak
- Using condoms and dental dams during all types of sexual contact
- Not sharing utensils and cosmetics with someone who has an active herpes outbreak
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.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Hsv
HSV-1 commonly causes painful cold sores around or in the mouth.
Less commonly, they may appear elsewhere on the face, such as the chin, cheeks, or eyes.
HSV-1 can also be transmitted via sexual contact, and may be the cause of genital sores.
Additionally, other signs of an HSV-1 infection include:
- Tingling, itching, or numbness 1-3 days before sores appear
You can also have HSV-2 and be able to pass the infection even without active blisters.
Can You Donate Blood With Hsv 2
According to the American Red Cross donor eligibility guidelines, people with HSV are allowed to donate blood , unless they have another prohibitive infection, like HIV or hepatitis. However: People having their first herpes outbreak are discouraged from donating, and are asked to wait about a month.
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What Happens During A Herpes Test
If you have blisters or sores, your doctor or nurse will gently take a sample of fluid from the sores with a swab and test it.
If you dont have any sores, talk with your doctor or nurse about whether a blood test for herpes makes sense for you. But herpes tests arent normally recommended unless you do have symptoms.
The idea of getting tested may seem scary, but try to chill out. STD testing is a regular part of being a responsible adult and taking care of your health. And herpes tests are quick and usually painless.