Archive for the ‘Testing Herpes’ Category
Friday, May 2nd, 2008
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are very sensitive tests (meaning they are very good at detecting the virus if it is present). While PCR testing is likely to replace the viral culture in the future, PCR are not as readily available as culture at many sites and there are no ...
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Thursday, May 1st, 2008
There are currently four FDA-approved, gG-based blood tests that can give accurate results for herpes. Like any blood test, these tests cannot determine whether the site of infection is oral or genital. However, since most cases of genital herpes are caused by HSV-2, a positive result for type-2 antibodies ...
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Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Blood tests can be used when a person has no visible symptoms but has concerns about having herpes. Blood tests do not actually detect the virus; instead, they look for antibodies (the body's immune response) in the blood.
IgM vs. IgG
There are many older blood tests commercially available, but most ...
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Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
If symptoms of herpes appear, they can vary widely from person to person. If a person does experience signs of infection, we recommend obtaining a culture test (a swab from the symptom) within the first 48 hours after a lesion appears. Results are usually available in about a week's ...
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