Herpes Blood Tests and Analysis
Herpes Blood Tests and Analysis
Herpes Blood Tests and Analysis
First, the symptoms of herpes vary greatly from person to person. Herpes symptoms can sometimes resemble blisters, to bumps, cuts, a sore or a rash on the infected area.
The itching, burning and tingling sometimes are felt before they develop to blisters or pain. When the herpes virus is active and has exploded on the surface of the skin, it typically develops in a fluid-filled blisters that ulcerate, then begins to form a dry scab and then heals.
The herpes virus is normally only active in the skin for a short period of time before it withdraws back inside the body, at which point the skin typically heals and returns to normal.
Depending on the individual, the symptoms of a herpes infection can last as long as six weeks, but ...
The typical duration of a genital outbreak is 3 to 14 days.
The typical duration of cold sore outbreak is 8 to 12 days.
If the infection persists for longer periods of time (e.g. months) no relief is possible. Most likely the possible cause is something other than herpes (such as hormonal acne, allergies, etc).
There are several tests used to diagnose herpes. Some are more accurate than others, and lots of people need to be tested more than once.
Blood tests are generally used where there are no visible symptoms are present. A blood test works by detecting the presence of antibodies to herpes. There is a possibility that the virus will not show up in blood tests, and a positive result is not always indicative that a person has genital herpes.
First, after the first exposure to herpes, a person can take several weeks to develop antibodies. Usually takes two weeks to three months after exposure to herpes for antibodies to appear in the blood. Some blood tests detect antibodies sooner than others. However, once they find antibodies remain in the body for life.
Secondly, blood tests can not tell the difference between the two types of herpes, HSV-1 and HSV-2. For this reason, anyone seeking an accurate diagnosis of genital herpes must be sure to get a serologic test "type-specific", which can accurately distinguish HSV-2 HSV-1 antibodies. Most commercially available analysis kit can not currently make accurate distinction despite their claims.
If active symptoms are present and do not heal, you must request a culture or a specific analysis of the virus that could a herpes virus, a viral culture for the presence of virus in the lesion. This method is very specific and often does not give a positive result when something else is the culprit.
The viral culture often misses herpes even when it is present. Often a patient, who has received a negative result of the culture, is asked to come back again for second (or third time) culture test.
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