Diagnosis of active herpes simplex infection.

Clinical Significance

This test screens for exposure to herpes, an STD that can cause painful sores around the mouth or genitals. The test checks for both types of herpes: herpes type-1 most often causes oral herpes and herpes type-2 most often causes genital herpes, although herpes type-1 is responsible for an increasing proportion of genital infections.

This test does not require fasting.