The Herpes Test Alphabet
July 20th, 2011 | Published in Herpes Testing, Oral Herpes Testing
A quick guide to the countless herpes tests on the market
With many different types of herpes tests on the market, STD testing can often leave people wondering where to turn. Here’s the low down on herpes tests straight from our in-house STD counselors:
Herpes tests : Option A and Option B
A herpes test is performed one of two ways:
A cell culture test or a viral culture:
There are several types of herpes tests used for culture tests, but essentially, a cell culture test is performed using a sample from an active sore to determine if the herpes virus is present. Culture tests are only used when a herpes outbreak is present. Here are the types of cell culture herpes tests:
A blood test to detect viral antibodies
The presence of antibodies in the blood tell whether you have been exposed to the herpes virus. A herpes outbreak does not need to be present in order to obtain an accurate result. Here are the types of blood tests to detect viral antibodies:
