Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum.

Who Gets Genital Herpes?
About one-fifth of all people aged 12 and up in the U.S. are infected with the HSV-2 virus that causes genital herpes, but as many as 90% don't know it. Experts estimate 55% to 75% of adults have oral herpes.

How Is Herpes Spread?
HSV-1 is usually passed from person to person by kissing. HSV-1 can also spread from the mouth to the genitals during oral sex. If this happens, it becomes a case of genital herpes. HSV-2 is most often passed by vaginal sex and anal sex. But just as HSV-1 can infect the genitals and cause genital herpes, HSV-2 can pass from one person's genitals to another person's mouth, resulting in oral herpes.

What Test Do You Recommend?
HSV Types 1 & 2 - lgG
This test is an antibody test for the Herpes Simplex Virus. This test is type specific, but it is impossible to conclusively state where any particular infection is located on the body, absent of any symptoms. It is also impossible to determine how long the virus has been present in the body.
HSV Types 1 & 2 - IgM
This particular test is not type specific. It can only determine whether or not the antibodies that are typically produced shortly after the initial contact with HSV are present. These antibodies begin to appear approximately one week after the virus is contracted.

How do you test for genital herpes?
NHT tests for both the Oral (HSV-1) and Genital (HSV-2) strands of the Herpes virus using a small blood sample.

Herpes Testing