Reply To: HSV-1 Exposure and Testing

[Concerned1]

Thank you for responding, Terri. Truthfully, I did not really stop to consider my HSV-1 or HSV-2 status owing to the fact I had been totally asymptomatic until recently. I have also had only a handful of sexual partners in my lifetime.

Would it be wise to get a PCR test in addition to the IgG test? The Web lab I’m using doesn’t specifically call it IgG, but says it’s “the type-specific test recommended by the CDC.” If it’s negative, what is the margin for error/false negative? Would an STD clinic typically know what a PCR test is?