How Should Herpes Be Tested — Swab or Blood?
Medically reviewed by our MD Laboratory Director (a role required by CLIA; the director's name is on file in the CMS CLIA database, #45D2048957, and can be verified independently) · Editorial policy
If you have a sore, swab it. Lesion PCR is the most useful herpes test there is.CLIA #45D2048957 · CAP #8722734 · Same-day results · Walk-ins welcome
If a lesion is present, PCR from the lesion is the test: it identifies HSV and distinguishes HSV-1 from HSV-2. Blood antibody testing tells you about past exposure, not about the sore in front of you, and CDC does not recommend HSV IgM testing — it is a common source of false positives and unnecessary distress.
Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome
What each test can and cannot do
| Test | Answers | Does not answer |
|---|---|---|
| Lesion PCR | Is this sore herpes, and which type | Anything about past exposure with no lesion |
| Type-specific IgG | Have you been exposed to HSV-1 or HSV-2 at some point | When, where, or whether this sore is herpes |
| IgM | Nothing reliable — not recommended by CDC | — |
Swab it while it is fresh. As a lesion crusts over, the amount of virus falls and PCR becomes less likely to detect it.
A diagnosis, not a verdict
HSV is common, manageable and not a statement about you. Antiviral therapy reduces outbreaks and reduces transmission. What it is not is curable — see lesion PCR vs. antibody testing for how to think about screening when you have no symptoms.
We name drugs, never doses. Treatment statements follow CDC guidance; the dose, route and duration are decided by a licensed physician who has your result and your history.
Same day, start to finish. Sample by 1:00 PM → results at 4:30 PM → if treatment is clinically appropriate, a licensed physician in our partner network sees you between 4:30 and 6:00 PM, a few minutes away. That window is reserved for patients tested here, and your slot is held the moment we take your sample — the slot is held, not hunted. On your own, a same-day appointment is nearly impossible; at an urgent care, you wait in the queue. STAT: ~2 hours, sample in by 3:00 PM.
FAQ
- Should I get a herpes blood test if I have no symptoms?
- Routine population screening with serology is not recommended by CDC. If you have a specific concern, discuss it with the physician rather than ordering a panel and misreading it.
- My sore is healing. Is it too late to swab?
- Sooner is better. Come in today; if PCR is likely to be negative because the lesion has crusted, we will tell you rather than sell you a test that cannot help.
- Is HSV-1 the "mild" one?
- HSV-1 classically causes oral herpes but can cause genital infection through oral sex. Type matters for counseling, not for whether it is real.
- Can I be treated the same day?
- Yes. If the physician judges antiviral therapy appropriate, you are seen the same evening.
Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome