Routine screening blood tests for herpes are not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. When I say routine screening I mean a scenario such as, “I want to get checked for everything, ok?” Blood tests for herpes do have a place in specific clinical situations, but that’s for another post. But say you did …
Tag Archives: herpes
Understanding blood tests for herpes
There is a lot of misinformation about herpes, both among health providers and the general public. When I lecture at a medical conferences about herpes I hear, “I didn’t know that,” all the time. I know people want more information, because I posted a piece in 2011 on the difference between type 1 and type …
Herpes 101: the difference between herpes type 1 and type 2
Herpes is a sexually transmitted virus that primarily infects the mouth and the genitals. It is transmitted by bodily fluids – penetration isn’t required for transmission, oral-oral or oral-genital contact will suffice. There are 2 types of sexually transmitted herpes: herpes type 1 and herpes type 2. Both types cause painful cold sores. It used …
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