Herpes Simplex Virus Diagnosis

Diagnostic methods of genital herpes mostly depend on what stage the patient goes to the doctor.

In case of common symptoms of genital herpes to make an accurate diagnosis it is enough to simply examine the patient.

Pain, itching, burning, appearing of bubble rash in genitals area even without laboratory tests may point to genital herpes.

If the picture of herpes is not so frank, there is need to make laboratory tests.

Laboratory tests for detecting genital herpes are divided in three groups:

• methods of detecting herpes simplex virus by growing the virus in chicken embryos
• methods of detecting herpes simplex  virus antibodies - Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
• polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus

After primary herpes simplex virus goes away (which occurs in 1 – 3 weeks even without treatment), the infection takes either hidden or recurrent form.

Recurrences in genital herpes may occur with different frequency from 3 – 4 times a month to 1 time in several months.

As a rule, recurrences of genital herpes occur in periods of body resistance lowering: after past diseases, overcooling, stress, physical and psychological loads.

Another recurrence in females may be connected with pregnancy and even with onset of periods.

Damage centers in recurrent herpes simplex virus usually have the same localization that primary infection has, but recurrence courses most frequently mildly.

In recurrence of genital herpes usually patient experiences no weakness, temperature and headache. In recurrent herpes simplex virus there is less rash and they are healed quicker – during 7 – 10 days.