Herpes blood test everything

This Herpes Simplex Infection (HSV) blood test consists of 3 tests:

• HSV-1/2 IgG (HSV12g serum)
• HSV-1/2 IgM (HSV12M serum)
• HSV2 IgG type 2 (HSV2G serum)

For the first infection (IgM), it cannot be broken down whether it is type 1 (cold sores) or type 2 (genital herpes), for the old infection (infected more than 6 months ago) it can. IgM antibodies are formed after infection with the virus and can normally be detected in the blood within 4 to 14 days after infection. If you know the species for the old infection, you know that it is most likely that reactivation is also involved.

Herpes infections are common in practice. A large minority of
cases involve a first infection with one of the herpes viruses. After this initial infection,
called primo-infection, the virus remains in the body for life. The virus remains
present in nerve endings or ganglia. Due to viral infections, flu, menstruation, illness,
sunburn, stress, etc., the dormant viruses may have the opportunity to
multiply and travel through the nerve branches to the skin or mucous membranes to
cause characteristic abnormalities. These so-called reactivations are much more common than the
real (initial) infections.

In most cases, the abnormalities are very distinctive or typical, so the diagnosis
is
not too
difficult. However, there are also atypical manifestations of a reactivation or typical initial manifestations in an
unusual location.
A first infection with one of the herpesviruses often proceeds without
complaints or symptoms
with certain herpesviruses
. With other types of herpesviruses, it can be
a violent experience. Reactivations are milder in some species and more severe in others than the
initial infection.

This test detects the IgG antibodies to herpes simplex type 1 and type 2.
The IgG does rise if it is a systemic flare-up or neurological pathology.
The IgG does not increase with local symptoms (e.g. cold sores).

HSV type 1 is found in:

• Herpes labialis (cold sores)
• in the eye (dendritic keratitis)
• in the mouth (gingivostomatitis)
• in skin lesions of the upper half of the body
• in neonatal herpes
• in meningoencephalitis.

HSV type 2 is found in:

• genital herpes
• for skin eruptions of the lower half of the body.

This rule is not absolute. For example, 20% of genital infections are caused by HSV type 1. These rarely recur in contrast to those caused by HSV type 2.

If you have an acute infection, it is better to turn to your family doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
This test only measures infections contracted more than 6 months ago.

Pregnant? In certain cases it can be useful to have blood tests done for antibodies against HSV. In this way, it can be reliably indicated whether someone has been infected with HSV in the past and with which type(s). Such a test is useful, for example, if a pregnant woman has a partner who has recurrent genital herpes, but is not herself acquainted. In the absence of HSV antibodies, the pregnant woman runs a risk of being infected with HSV during pregnancy and advice should be given to reduce the risk of infection as much as possible. Then order the test: "Herpes blood test antibodies".

This result can take 10 days to come out because splitting IgG type 1 and type 2 is a specialized test.