Herpes Tests: What To Think About

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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, since 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. A pregnant woman with genital herpes will likely have a cervical culture done every week for the last 4 to 6 weeks of the pregnancy before delivery. If active herpes is present near the time of delivery, a cesarean delivery (C-section) may be done to prevent infecting the baby.
• Rapid tests are available at some clinics that check blood from a finger stick for antibodies to HSV-2. The results are generally ready in about 10 minutes. These tests are more expensive than other tests and may not be available everywhere.

Last updated:	February 05, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer