Herpes: oral and genital

April 2003     View PDF     En español
Reprinted from www.aidsmeds.com, US

How is herpes diagnosed?

Oral and genital herpes are well-known diseases. Most doctors and other healthcare providers know herpes when they see it. In turn, both types of herpes can often be diagnosed—and treatment recommended—simply by examining the sores.

When in doubt, a small sample of the sore is sent to a lab for testing. If the virus is found in the sample, a confirmed diagnosis can be made.

Because a large number of people are infected with HSV-1 and/or HSV-2, there is no value in having blood samples tested for the presence of antibodies to either virus. Being infected with the virus does not necessarily mean that herpes sores will occur.