Genital herpes

Healthcare professionals suggest testing people for genital herpes only if they have symptoms or other risk factors or have sex with people who have genital herpes. But most people with herpes never have symptoms. And they can still spread herpes to others.

Your healthcare professional may send a tissue sample or culture of blisters or early ulcers, if you have them, to a lab. But a negative test doesn't always mean you don't have herpes, especially if you have symptoms.

A blood test also may show if you had a past herpes infection, but you can't always trust the results. Some blood tests can help show which of the two main types of herpes you have. But there's no cure for either type.