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Herpes culture
A herpes culture is a test performed in a microbiology or virology lab, where they use a swab from a suspicious area and try to "grow out" the herpes virus. This kind of test is notoriously inacurate- and a negative viral culture should not be taken as proof that you don't have the herpes virus. It should be followed up with blood testing to confirm that you have not been exposed to herpes.
Dr. Jennifer Lang reviewed this
25 year experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Related questions
A 45-year old asked:
Herpes culture result: equivocal result - what does it mean?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 37-year old asked:
Is it possible that a positive for a herpes culture be wrong?
1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in
A 42-year old asked:
If a herpes culture/test is negative, how accurate is that result?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 32-year old asked:
Can you tell me how accurate are herpes cultures?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 41-year old asked:
False positive herpes culture; what is the chance of it?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 39-year old asked:
Can herpes culture test be false positive? If so, now often?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 36-year old asked:
Negative herpes culture and blood tests; pretty accurate?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 46-year old asked:
Is a herpes culture better than herpes blood test, or the other way around?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 23-year old female asked:
Is it possible for herpes culture and blood test to be wrong? I received negative for both...
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 20-year old female asked:
Is it possible to get a false positive herpes culture test? How often does it occur? What is the reasoning for it?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 19-year old female asked:
How likely is it for a herpes culture test to be a false negative if i went within the first few days of my outbreak?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 21-year old female asked:
If doctors swab for a herpes culture, does that mean its a serum test: the more reliable/updated test?What exactly does that mean ?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 45-year old asked:
Would a herpes culture come back positive if you have hpv?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 25-year old female asked:
Tested negative for herpes culture test but have symptoms, any other test that i can take that is more accurate? Ive had a sore for over 4 months
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 46-year old asked:
The doc says my herpes culture came back positive? But do I have to take preventive medicine?
3 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
A 21-year old female asked:
So if herpes culture only is accurate if organism grows in lab, does that mean someone could have it but it just didn't " grow " at a certain time ?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 29-year old female asked:
Boil on leg busted. More bumps appeared on genitals. 2 diff doctors say staph does not look like herpes. Culture shows herpes. Could this be wrong?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 24-year old male asked:
Fungal infect or STD ? 2 negative herpes culture tests. Jockitch cream cleared up 1st time. Still redness around male urethra and occas spots on shaft
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 30-year old female asked:
I am currently being treated for genital herpes, culture not back to confirm. I also have a rash on neck,feet, arms. Is this all herpes?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 20-year old male asked:
Diagnosed with herpes by culture swab. Lesions appear very atypical for herpes but look a lot like molluscum. Hiv negative. Could i not have hsv?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 28-year old female asked:
Is there a way to tell when i was infected with genital herpes. I received positive test results today from a herpes swab culture. I had a blood test back in june that came back negative. I have been with the same sexual partner since november of 2009. On
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 27-year old female asked:
Tested positive for herpes 2 by culture 10 months ago, Since then every blood test has come back negative and ive not had symptoms again but take aciclovir suppression daily. Am i negative or positive?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 21-year old female asked:
If I am tested for herpes, and the culture is positive and the blood test is negative..And my STD test is reactive for syphilis what should I believe?
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 29-year old asked:
Can a urine culture detect herpes virus?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 35-year old asked:
How reliable are genital herpes blood tests vs cultures?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 26-year old female asked:
I got some lab results back but now I think I need a second opinion...here's what it says "Herpes simplex virus identified : Prid : Pt : XXX : Nom : Organism specific culture " Which herpes virus do I have? 1 or 2 and can this be diagnosed through a pap
1 doctor answer • 7 doctors weighed in
A 26-year old asked:
Are there unknown STIs? Urethritis symptoms after sex but negative for chlaymidia,gonhorrea,mycoplasma,Ureaplasma,trichomonas,gardenella,herpes,syphilis,hiv. Urine culture. Doxycycline didnt help. Urologist didnt know what to do? Advise?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 37-year old female asked:
Which herpes test is more accurate, culture or blood?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 21-year old female asked:
Is it possible for a culture to mistake syphilis for herpes?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 39-year old asked:
What to do if positive culture but negative bloodwork for herpes?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
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