Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Igg

There are two forms of herpes.

The first form, herpes simplex virus 2 causes sores in the genital area (genital herpes), such as on or around the vagina or penis. HSV-2 also causes the herpes infection seen in babies who are delivered vaginally in women who have genital herpes. HSV-2 is generally spread by sexual contact. HSV-2 can sometimes cause mouth sores.

The other form is 'oral herpes', also known as 'cold sores'; and the two have much in common. Like a cold sore oral herpes are passed on through contact with an infected partner. The first way to identify lesions as herpes then is to think about your recent sexual encounters. If you have had sexual intercourse with a new partner within the last 20 weeks then they may have been the cause of the problem. You should call any and all partners that you have been with in this time frame and enquire as to their state. If you find that they weren't the cause of your lesions then you should still speak to them for two reasons - firstly to warn them that you may have inadvertently passed it on to them, and secondly because if they develop it subsequently then this might be another warning sign that you have herpes. Bear in mind however that herpes is not passed on in every sexual encounter (the chances of passing it on increases when you are experiencing an outbreak) so this is not a 100% effective method. Additionally it is possible (though highly rare) to catch herpes from other sources such as from toilet seats, further causing complication.

Outbreaks of genital herp tend to last about two to three weeks, so if your symptoms disappear after this time on their own then this is a sign it may be herpes. At the same time if they later recur, particularly in conjunction with feeling run down, then this might be a sign again that it is herp and not boils.

You should also look out for other symptoms of herp which vary in cases. For some there will be no other symptoms, while others will experience stomach pain, back ache, muscle ache (myalgia), headache, fever, swelling of the gentials, discharge, malaise, painful urination (dysuria) and cervicitis. Any or all of these symptoms experienced simultaneously alongside the sores might point to herpes as the cause.

The lesions themselves are also slightly different than boils or those associated with other conditions. They are firstly smaller than boils, and they also tend to 'crust' over much like cold sores before the outbreak ends. This crusting and breaking is similar to the way in which a cold sore can crust over - again demonstrating the familial relation. While it certainly will not be pleasant you can check your particular case of lesions against those of others by looking at pictures of herpes online (just type 'herpes' into Google). If the cases look similar to yours, then there is obviously a good chance that you are suffering from the same condition.

If you suspect you have genital herp, as well as informing your sexual partners you should see a doctor who will help with the diagnosis and prescribe the relevant treatment. However there is unfortunately no cure for genital herpes.

To see whether sores are caused by HSV, different types of tests may be done.

Herpes viral culture. Cells or fluid from a fresh sore are collected with a cotton swab and placed in a culture cup. A viral culture is the best method of identifying a genital herpes infection. But the culture often fails to find the virus even when it is present (false-negative results).

Herpes virus antigen detection test. Cells from a fresh sore are scraped off and then smeared onto a microscope slide. This test finds markers (called antigens) on the surface of cells infected with the herp virus. This test may be done with or in place of a viral culture.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. A PCR test can be done on cells or fluid from a sore or on blood or on other fluid, such as spinal fluid. PCR finds the genetic material (DNA) of the HSV virus. This test can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2. The PCR test is not often done on skin sores, but it is best for testing spinal fluid, for those rare cases in which herpes may cause an infection in or around the brain.

Antibody tests. Blood tests can find antibodies that are made by the immune system to fight a herpes infection. Antibody tests are sometimes done but are not as accurate as a viral culture at finding the cause of a specific sore or ulcer. Antibody tests cannot tell the difference between a current active herp infection and a herpes infection that occurred in the past. Because antibodies take time to develop after the first infection, you may not have a positive antibody test if you have just recently been infected. Some blood tests can tell the difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2.

Check more at http://www.pozgroup.com/std_Q_and_A_1.html

herpes simplex virus type 1 igg

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Igg is a post from: Best Cold Sore Treatment

via Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Igg