How Do Doctors Test for Herpes?
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Virus Culture
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One type of herpes tests involves the doctor taking a sample of the fluid from a sore with a Q-tip or a cotton ball. The sample is then placed in a culture dish and tested to see if the herpes virus is present. This test is the least reliable form of herpes test, and sometimes produces a negative test result even when the herpes virus is present.
Antigen Test
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Antigens are substances that cause our immune system to react to them. In a herpes virus antigen test, cells are collected by scraping a sore and then looking at the cells collected in the scraping process under a microscope. Any herpes antigens that may be present in the cells can be identified to determine if the herpes virus is present.
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PCR Test
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Commonly called a PCR test, a polymerase chain-reaction test can be used to test for the herpes virus. In this test, blood, spinal fluid or fluid from inside a sore is collected. Because viruses are living things, they possess a unique DNA. PCR tests look for this DNA to determine if the herpes virus is present, An advantage of a PCR test is that it can distinguish between the herpes simplex virus types 1 (cold sores) and 2 (genital herpes). This test works best on spinal fluid, and is rarely conducted on fluid collected from the sores themselves.
Antibody Test
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The immune system creates proteins called antibodies to fight infections that attack the body. Different antibodies are created to fight different infections. Blood tests can be used to determine if the antibodies for the herpes virus are present in the bloodstream. Unfortunately, antibody tests can not tell the difference between an active herpes infection and an old infection. Antibodies may not yet be present if the herpes infection is very recent.
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- Photo Credit Wikimedia Commons, Jacopo Werther (Kaibara87)
