A 18-year-old member asked:
how long would it take herpes to show up on a blood test?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Allen Seely answered
General Practice 31 years experience
<2 weeks: It usually take1-2 weeks for a healthy immune system to produce IgM anti-bodies to a viral infection. There are 2 types of herpes simplex 1 and 2, so both tests are available. If a patient has IgG herpes antibodies then the patient has already been exposed 'some time ago.' hope that helps.
5996 views
Dr. Gurmukh Singh answered
Pathology 49 years experience
2-6 weeks: There are variations in individual immune response and it could take 2-6 weeks to detect antibodies in blood.
Have a healthy diet, exercise, drink plenty of water, have safe sex, and get HPV vaccine. Wish you good health!
Nutrition: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.
227 views
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Similar questions
A 28-year-old member asked:
What is the likelihood of a false negative herpes type specific blood test with background of lupus (sle)?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Robert Kwok answered
Pediatrics 33 years experience
About 0% to 9%: Quest diagnostics' website states that their herpes type-specific IgG antibody test is 91-100% sensitive, so there are a few false negative results. A repeat test can be done 4-6 weeks later, if worried about a false negative. Lupus should not affect the result, but if a person is on strong immuno-suppressive therapy, his antibody production may be blocked, which may make test results unreliable.
6216 views
A 18-year-old female asked:
Is blood test is the only way you can find out if you have herpes?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Robert Killian answered
General Practice 28 years experience
Herpes: Blood testing is most accurate way to learn if one has been exposed to herpes. Yes.
4729 views
Channing, MI
A 21-year-old female asked:
How accurate are home herpes tests? (it is a blood test) are they just as accurate?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Ed Friedlander answered
Pathology 44 years experience
Why do you ask?: Even the antibody tests from big labs are not altogether sensitive or specific. Many folks have the antibodies but no lesions so probably cannot infect others.
4595 views
Richmond, VA
A 36-year-old female asked:
My dr said no blood test needed 4 herpes test?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Munshower answered
Family Medicine 30 years experience
Bx may be sufficient: If you have sores, etc, an actual biopsy and or culture of the sore is definitive enough and good for diagnosis and a blood test would not need to b done in that case. In a monogamous relationship, where the one partner is diagnosed with genital herpes and then the other gets genital lesions, ..An examination and common sense diagnosis can assume with good accuracy the diagnosis too. Best wishes.
4588 views
Carthage, NC
A 18-year-old female asked about a 19-year-old male:
How soon can herpes show up on a blood test?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Jean Calhoun answered
Specializes in Dermatology
1 week: There are two different antibodies that would be associated with a herpes infection. Igm would go up in the first few weeks. Then the igm would fall and igg
would start going up after about a month and it usually stays up. Just have to do the right test at the right time.
4153 views
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Dec 26, 2018
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
24/7 visits
$15 per month
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.