Is it true that testing for herpes can only be done if there is an outbreak? I was told that you can do a blood test but they are not as accurate since there are so many types of herpes. Is there someone who can explain this?
2007-07-11 11:00:06 · 8 answers · asked by xyz 4 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ STDs
Yes that is true.
The most preferred way of being diagnosed with genital herpes is by having a physical exam. A pap smear can also be done for women and a swab sample of fluid from sores is usually also taken.
There is a blood test that can be preformed also, but these are usually not as accurate. Some tests can come back positive when the person doesn't have genital herpes or cold sores. They can also come back negative or even "inconclusive". Since there are so many different kinds of herpes, like cold sores, genital herpes, chickenpox, shingles, etc, sometimes a person can get a positive result for herpes just because they had chickenpox as a kid.
I hope that answered your question!
2007-07-11 11:38:41 · answer #1 · answered by Alli 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
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2016-05-09 15:34:13 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-08-13 10:21:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is not true. The culture must be done at a specific time during an outbreak. Usually you only have about 48 hours to do the culture. If the prime time to culture is missed, it will not give an accurate result. In addition, the culture must be handled correctly to avoid a false result. It is far more likely to be incorrect than a type specific blood test. The false negative rate through culture testing can be as high as 70%. This is why it is suggested that after a negative culture result you have a blood test done in about 3 months.
Type specific blood tests can determine if you have developed antibodies to certain type of herpes viruses. There are some lower quality tests that are thrown off by having other antibodies in your system, but the "gold standard" tests are not. So you can find out if you have type 1, type 2, both or neither. With the blood test there is about a 10% false negative rate.
For both tests a positive test result is considered accurate. There is little to no risk of a false positive.
You need to see another doctor who is more familiar with herpes testing.
2007-07-11 14:18:51 · answer #4 · answered by mutherluv 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
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2016-10-08 02:43:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2015-07-08 23:28:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2015-02-21 06:57:47 · answer #7 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I cant explain reasons but can confirm that you do need to have an outbreak to confirm diagnosis. You will know if you have herpes and should consult your local STD Clinic
2007-07-11 11:03:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋