How to Find Out if You Have Herpes Type 1 or 2
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Herpes tests are done to find the herpes simplex virus (HSV). An HSV
infection can cause small, painful sores that look like blisters on the
skin or the tissue lining (mucous membranes) of the throat, nose,
mouth, urethra, rectum, and vagina. A herpes infection may cause only a
single outbreak of sores, but in many cases the person will have more
outbreaks.
There are two types of HSV.
HSV
type 1 causes cold sores (also called fever blisters) on the lips.
HSV-1 is generally spread by kissing or by sharing eating utensils
(such as spoons or forks) when sores are present. HSV-1 can also cause
sores around the genitals.
HSV type 2 causes sores in the genital area (genital
herpes), such as on or around the vagina or penis. HSV-2 also causes
the herpes infection seen in babies who are delivered vaginally in
women who have genital herpes. HSV-2 is generally spread by sexual
contact. HSV-2 can sometimes cause mouth sores.
In rare cases, HSV can infect other parts of the body, such as the eyes and the brain.
Tests
for HSV are most often done only for sores in the genital area. In rare
cases, the test may be done using other types of samples, such as
spinal fluid, blood, urine, or tears. To see whether sores are caused
by HSV, different types of tests may be done.
Herpes viral culture:
Cells or fluid from a fresh sore are collected with a cotton swab and
placed in a culture cup. A viral culture is the most specific method of
finding a genital herpes infection.
Herpes virus antigen detection test: Cells from a
fresh sore are scraped off and then smeared onto a microscope slide.
This test finds markers (called antigens) on the surface of cells
infected with the herpes virus. This test may be done with or in place
of a viral culture.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test: A PCR test can
be done on cells or fluid from a sore or on blood or on other fluid,
such as spinal fluid. PCR finds the genetic material (DNA) of the HSV
virus. This test can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2. The
PCR test is not often done on skin sores, but it is best for testing
spinal fluid for those rare cases in which herpes may cause an
infection in or around the brain.
Antibody tests: Blood tests can find antibodies that
are made by the immune system to fight a herpes infection. Antibody
tests are occasionally done but are not as accurate as a viral culture
at finding the cause of a specific sore or ulcer. Antibody tests cannot
tell the difference between a current active herpes infection and a
herpes infection that occurred in the past. Because antibodies take
time to develop after the first infection, you may not have a positive
antibody test if you have just recently been infected. Some blood tests
can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2.
It is thought that about half of adults in the United States likely have herpes antibodies.
A
herpes infection cannot be cured. Once you become infected with HSV,
the virus stays in the body for life. It "hides" in a certain type of
nerve cell and causes more outbreaks of sores in some people. Recurring
infections can be triggered by stress, fatigue, sunlight, or another
infection, such as a cold or flu. Medicine can relieve symptoms and
shorten the length of the outbreaks, but medicine cannot cure the
infection.
A different herpes virus (called varicella zoster) causes chickenpox and shingles.
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