Thursday, March 28, 2024

Where Can I Get Tested For Herpes

What Happens During A Herpes Test

Understanding Herpes Testing

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 aren’t 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.

Is There A Link Between Genital Herpes And Hiv

  • The HIV virus that causes AIDS is not the same as the genital herpes virus.
  • However, having the ulcers and sores of herpes makes it more likely to contract HIV if exposed, or to transmit HIV if you have been infected.
  • The ulcers of genital herpes cause breaks in the skin that make spreading the HIV virus to a sex partner more likely during sexual contact.

Also Check: How Is Equine Herpes Virus Transmitted

Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About An Hsv Test

The best way to prevent genital herpes or another STD is to not have sex. If you are sexually active, you can reduce your risk of infection by

  • Being in a long-term relationship with one partner who has tested negative for STDs
  • Using condoms correctly every time you have sex

If you’ve been diagnosed with genital herpes, condom use can reduce your risk of spreading the infection to others.

Recommended Reading: Why Is There No Cure For Herpes Yet

How Soon Can You Be Tested

The incubation period for herpes is 2 to 12 days, which means that the best time to get tested for the herpes virus if you havent had an initial outbreak is after 12 days. If youre worried that youve been exposed to herpes but have not yet been diagnosed, here are some steps you can take:

  • If youre currently sexually active, stop all sexual activity until you can receive a formal diagnosis.
  • Reach out to your doctor and schedule an appointment for once the incubation period is up.
  • If youre having an outbreak, you dont have to wait to get tested. Its possible to receive a diagnosis based on the lesions.

Also Check: How To Stop Genital Herpes From Spreading

Can Herpes Simplex Virus Cause Serious Infections

Is this genital herpes??

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.

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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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Myth: Without A Visible Outbreak Herpes Isnt Contagious

Since outbreaks arent always obvious, its not always clear when youre contagious. There are a few days a year when herpes is active and possibly transmitted without any symptoms present, explains Wyand. This is known as viral shedding. This doesnt happen on most days, but its tricky, because theres no real way to know.

All this sounds really scary, but what it boils down to is the importance of practicing safe sex. While the risk of transmission will never be zero, there are some steps you and your partner can take to significantly reduce the risk of transmission: avoiding sex during an outbreak, using condoms. The partner with herpes can also go on suppressive therapy .

Dr. Rosser agrees that condoms are your best friends for any kind of sex. People still look at me like I have two heads when I suggest condoms for oral sex, she says. But if theres any question, then use them.

Communication is not only essential when it comes to having great sex, adds Dr. Rosser, but also when preventing the spread of herpes. If youre infected, be honest and consideratelet your partner know.

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Heres Why Doctors Dont Usually Test For Herpes

Its basically a SELF mantra at this point: Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections is hella important. Is it the most delightful way to spend your time? No. Is it a vital part of looking after your health, sexual and otherwise? Absolutely.

When you go in for routine STI testing, you might realize that your doctor doesnt test you for herpes. Whats that about? As it turns out, testing for herpes isnt as straightforward as testing for something like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Here, doctors explain why herpes isnt usually included on STI panels.

Also Check: What Causes Herpes Outbreaks To Get Worse

Useful Methods Include Testing An Actual Lesion

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of herpes | Infectious diseases | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

Keep in mind that thereâs no such thing as âsafeâ sex, only safer sex, which means using protection and being open and honest with your partner. âIt can definitely happen,â Friedman says of the chances of transmitting the virus to a partner without a visible outbreak. âIts called asymptotic shedding there are studies showing that the rates of transmission of HSV-2 are the same for symptomatic and asymptomatic.â He adds that this is why using protection during sexual contact is so important, regardless of what blood tests say. Unfortunately, you can never ensure your risk of transmission will be zero, whether or not you know you have herpes, but using a condom or dental dam will get you closer to it.

Like Hutcherson, Friedman also doesnât recommend blood tests for herpes in the absence of symptoms. âThe tests that are useful involve sampling the actual blister or cold sore,â he says, which can involve smearing scrapes of skin cells from the sore onto a slide, targeting the infected cells. As with some of the blood tests, though, this sampling test still wonât tell you what type of herpes virus is present. A viral culture, on the other hand, will tell you which virus you have, though it takes some time to come back. âDirect fluorescent antibody is by far the best,â Friedman says, âas you can get a result in a matter of hours which can be as useful as a culture.â Not all hospitals have access to this method, however.

Recommended Reading: Can Herpes Be Treated Naturally

Myth: Ive Never Had An Outbreak So I Definitely Dont Have Herpes

Unfortunately, the lack of a visible outbreak doesnt mean youre herpes-free. Many people infected with the virus never experience an outbreak, Mary Rosser, MD, PhD, director of obstetrics and gynecology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, tells Health. And when they do, it frequently isnt recognized. This explains why, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 87.4% of infected individuals have no clue.

Outbreaks can be very mild and even confused with things like heat rash, jock itch, yeast infections, allergic reactions, Fred Wyand, director of communications for the American Sexual Health Association , tells Health. So while some cases do involve pronounced symptoms, most never do.

What Is The Difference Between Type

The technology behind the type-specific test is relatively new. The gold standard of type-specific blood tests is known as the Western Blot Serology.

A number of similar tests are produced for research purposes and commercial products are gradually becoming more available. These tests detect antibodies that differ between HSV-1 and HSV-2. It is now recommended that clinicians avoid serum tests other than type-specific tests.

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Genital Herpes And Pregnancy

Women with herpes before pregnancy can usually expect to have a healthy baby and a vaginal delivery.

If you have genital herpes during pregnancy, theres a risk your baby could develop a serious illness called neonatal herpes.

This can be fatal, but most babies recover with antiviral treatment.

The risk of your baby getting neonatal herpes is low if you have had genital herpes before.

Its higher if you get genital herpes for the first time in pregnancy.

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Here Is How The Herpes Virus Works:

Ingrown hair or herpes?
  • The first outbreak takes place usually within 2 to 20 days after contact and may continue up to 2 weeks.
  • Once the virus attacks, there is an incubation period that may last for 3-7 days before a lesion is developed.
  • Sometimes the symptoms of HSV are too mild to take note of and it may take longer and be less severe in people who have partial immunity to the virus from having oral herpes or cold sores.
  • The first outbreak is so harsh because the person has not been exposed to this virus before and the antibodies are unable to trigger the immune response.
  • The virus always resides within the nerves in the body.
  • It travels to the vaginal areas when the outbreak happens.
  • But, when it is healed, the virus does not get dead.
  • Herpes viruses return to the nerve and stay dormant until the next outbreak.
  • During an outbreak, the ulcers may cause considerable pain during urination. The woman is likely to experience tenderness or pain in the vaginal area until the infection heals. Some women get a rash or some small bumps resembling pimples. Also, during the first outbreak, women may have flu type symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle aches or swollen lymph nodes in the vaginal area. The distressing fact is these signs and symptoms may occur again for years. It is true that over time the frequency and sometimes the severity of vaginal herpes outbreaks reduces.

  • Medications that suppress the immune system such as steroids or chemotherapy
  • Friction caused by vigorous sexual intercourse
  • Read Also: How Can I Know If I Have Genital Herpes

    Where Can I Get Tested For Stds / Stis

    Your general practitioner, OBGYN, or urgent care clinic can all order STI / STD tests for you. You can also try a local or campus clinic or your local Planned Parenthood location.

    Depending on your income, you may even be able to get tests for free. Search here for your local Planned Parenthood and call to find out if you qualify for free testing.

    If youre uncomfortable with those options, or dont want STI tests on your insurance, some states allow you to order tests at home.

    You can also order a testing kit and test yourself at home. Our affiliate myLAB Box can send you one now. Just pick the type of test you want. It wont have to show up on your records or insurance.

    Same-day testing today: You can also use this site to order tests online and then stop by a lab near you for same-day testing.

    Doctors Don’t Advise Getting A Blood Test For Herpes Without Any Symptoms

    Hilda Hutcherson, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, is one of those doctors. “I usually dont do tests for herpes someone has a lesion or a sore, something I can see, I will do a swab and take it to a culture or check the DNA on the materials I removed,” she says. “If theres nothing there and I do a blood test and the blood test comes back positive, lets say its positive for type 1, what does that really mean? Most people are positive for type 1.” She adds that someone could be HSV-1-positive and either have or not have genital herpes. The result “doesnt mean much, and it makes people go crazy.”

    Hutcherson’s motto is pretty simple: Why stress yourself over something if you haven’t seen anything especially when it’s something as common as herpes? “Let’s say they have a blood test come in positive but theyve never had a lesion. Now what? You may never get a lesion,” she says. It’s for this reason that she recommends people do not get tested for herpes unless they have a visible lesion that can be cultured and sent to a lab. Let’s say you get tested anyway and it comes back positive, despite the fact that you have no symptoms. What do you do?

    Read Also: Why Do I Keep Having Genital Herpes Outbreaks

    How Can Herpes Be Tested/checked

    Better2Know has three ways of testing for the Herpes virus:

    • Blood Test if you have no symptoms
    • Urine Test if you currently have symptoms
    • Swab Test if you have a blister or other lesion for swabbing to see if it is caused by HSV.

    At Better2Know, you can choose your test method: urine or a swab if you have symptoms, and blood if you do not. Results are available within 25 working days from us receiving your sample depending on which sample is taken. The test will tell you whether you have HSV-1, HSV-2, both types or neither.

    At selected private sexual health clinics, Better2Know also provides instant Herpes testing. With this exclusive, popular Herpes testing option, you will receive your results from 10 minutes after sample collection.

    You can also get a Home Sample Collection Kit by visiting our Home STI Tests page.

    If You Have Zero Symptoms Getting Tested Won’t Help You

    Protecting Against Herpes

    The problem is that blood tests for herpes when no lesions or symptoms are present are often bullshit. I realize that’s a pretty strong word, but after speaking with doctors who have administered these tests, it’s become more and more apparent to me how misunderstood and in some cases, just plain wrong the results they give are.

    Part of the reason they’re flawed has to do with the fact that most people have been exposed to HSV-1 or oral herpes. “For HSV-1, close to 100 percent of people in the U.S. are antibody-positive because they have been exposed at some point in their lives, though only a percentage of these individuals will actually get cold sores,” says Adam Friedman, the residency program director at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. He adds that blood tests can be misleading because they usually don’t detect the herpes virus itself and instead look at the level of antibodies against the virus, which is merely a sign of immune response to it.

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    Do I Need To Tell My Partner

    In Canada, genital herpes is not a reportable sexually transmitted infection. While it is not legally required, we recommend that you inform any sexual partners youâve had 60 days before symptoms appeared or before the diagnosis date.

    It is not mandatory to inform sexual partners you have been diagnosed with genital herpes in Canada.â

    How Much Is A Herpes Test

    Although some insurance plans cover STD testing, many people prefer to pay for testing out of pocket. The price will depend on the clinic and whether you are doing multiple tests at once. It is not uncommon to pay a minimum of $50 for herpes tests.

    If you are sexually active, you need to take a responsible approach to sexual health. That can include talking with your doctor to decide which STD test is/are right for you.***

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    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.

    When To Talk With A Doctor

    1st rash only on butt cheek?

    Talk with a doctor if you notice any sores on or around your genitals. Other STIs, like syphilis, can look like herpes but need different treatment. Treatment is needed to prevent complications and transmission.

    Your doctor will let you know whether you should test for herpes or another STI, and they can help you get treatment if needed.

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    Afc Urgent Care Provides Confidential Walk

    If you need quick, discreet STD testing in Agoura Hills CA, then come see us today here at AFC Urgent Care. We can check for and treat a number of different conditions, and as an urgent care clinic, were available to you for walk-in appointments, so you can come see us right away for testing. Read on to learn more about how we can help you at our clinic!

    Which Type Of Herpes Virus Does The Herpes Home Test Look For

    The virus that causes herpes is known as the herpes simplex virus, or HSV. There are actually two types of the virus: HSV 1 and HSV 2. Its more common for people to have HSV 1 in the mouth , and HSV 2 is more common on the genitals . However, HSV 1 can also infect the genitals, and HSV 2 can also infect the mouth.

    In some cases, home test kits perform only an HSV 2 test at home. In other cases, a home test kit may check for both types of the virus. If youre interested in checking for both forms of the virus, make sure youre ordering a kit that includes an HSV 1 home test as well as an HSV 2 home test.

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