Herpes Genital (Genital Herpes Simplex)
Alternate Names : Genital Herpes, Herpes Simplex - Genital, Herpesvirus 2, HSV-2
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Genital Herpes Diagnosis & Tests
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Viral culture of blister fluid from lesion positive for herpes simplex virus. Herpes simplex virus may grow within 2-3 days. If this test is positive, it is almost 100% accurate, especially if the fluid is from an initial blister rather than a recurrent blister. Since viruses can be hard to grow, it is often negative, even when herpes is present.
- Detection of the herpes simplex virus DNA by PCR from the blister fluid. The blister fluid contains human cells and virus particles. PCR is a technique that detects small amounts of DNA and could tell you if the herpes virus was present in the blister.
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Tzanck test of skin lesion may show results consistent with herpes virus infection. This test involves staining human cells within the blister fluid with a dye. If the cells from the fluid contain viral particles, they become visible. However, the test cannot determine which strain of virus is present in the blister.
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