Herpes Test - What to Expect From a Genital Herpes Diagnosis Test

Genital herpes is a very common sexually transmitted disease

, affecting around one in six people in the United States alone. Herpes testing is incredibly important, so if you think you may have been exposed to the virus, or are showing any symptoms, it is vital you get to a health care professional immediately for a diagnosis.

One of the main contributors to the high infection rate of herpes is the fact that many infections are subclinical, meaning that the person infected shows no symptoms at all, and may not know they even carry the virus. As a result, those with subclinical infections may spread the disease unknowingly to sexual partners, who aren't as lucky on the symptoms front and then must bear the brunt of the terrible outbreaks and emotional pain.

One common herpes test is the cell culture. This involves a doctor taking a sample from a herpes sore, which is allowed to culture and multiply, and then is viewed under a microscope. This is one of the more effective herpes tests if you've been recently infected.

A blood test may also be used to test for herpes. This is usually taken if you have no symptoms, although it can be a problematic herpes test, as recently infected people may return a false negative, as it takes a few weeks for HSV antibodies to appear in the blood.

Another test you may encounter is the direct fluorescent antibody test. This test involves adding a solution containing a special dye to the sample taken from a herpes outbreak. When viewed under a special microscope, the virus 'glows' due to the fluorescent light reacting with the dye.

While there are other newer herpes tests being used, these are the most common and are still generally viewed as the most effective herpes test. They are not invasive or painful, (aside from perhaps the blood test, depending on your attitude toward pricks and needles!) and relatively quick. If you suspect there's even a slight chance you may have been exposed to herpes, make an appointment as soon as possible, as testing is the only sure way to be sure whether or not you've contracted genital herpes simplex. Diagnosis means keeping yourself and others safe from transmission risks and if you are infected, means you can start taking steps towards treating and controlling the virus.

Herpes Test - What to Expect From a Genital Herpes Diagnosis Test

By: Kat Samson

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