Herpes is diagnosed by looking at visible sores or taking a sample for lab testing. Blood tests can detect antibodies toward HSV-1 or HSV-2, even between outbreaks. Your care provider can help you arrange an examination under your health insurance plan.
Most doctors can accurately diagnose HSV with signs and symptoms, even without running lab tests. And, as embarrassing as it may be, one benefit to seeing your doctor for a diagnosis is that it's possible that what you think is an initial outbreak isn't.
You can be infected and have no immediate symptoms. You can be symptom-free for weeks, months, and years.
Your doctor can run a blood test to find out if there are antibodies in your blood. If there are no antibodies, then your infection is brand new. If there are antibodies, it means your infection is not new. It means you have had herpes for at least three to four months. When you've had more than one sexual partner, this information can be helpful in understanding when you contracted herpes.
Cell cultures obtained from swabbed, active blisters are the typical way of testing for HSV. First-time lesions contain a more substantial amount of virus in the cells. Recurrent lesions have a very high false-negative rate, so it's essential to be tested during your first outbreak to determine the type of herpes you've contracted accurately. Knowing what kind of herpes you are dealing with is the second advantage of seeing your doctor rather than ordering private tests.
Private blood testing is also available. However, the test can show a false negative if your infection is brand new. Blood tests don't look for the herpes virus. They look for antibodies. They can't identify the type of herpes you have, where the outbreak is located (that can only be seen with the naked eye, and not always), or how long you have been infected. They are only looking for antibodies (IgG and IgM). Additionally, blood tests can't tell you what type of herpes you have. Only taking a swab of the virus can do that.
False Positives & Negatives
You've probably read claims about people saying they were "cured" and tested negative for antibodies after trying a particular remedy. They were likely tested before antibodies had a chance to develop. It can take up to three months for antibodies to develop in the blood, so the best time to be tested for HSV is between three and four months after your first outbreak (or suspected contraction of the virus). If you have ever contracted herpes (at any time in your life), you WILL test positive for antibodies after the 3-4 month mark, and you will have those antibodies for life. Even if you've never had or never have herpes symptoms (and some people never do), you'll still have the antibodies.
Additionally, you've may have read claims about people saying they were "cured" and tested negative for antibodies after having previously tested positive. There are two reasons for this. Either they were tested before antibodies developed, or the test results showed a false negative, which can happen.
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