Exams and Tests

Genital herpes is usually diagnosed based on your medical history and a physical exam. Your doctor may ask you the following questions:

• Do you think you were exposed to genital herpes or another sexually transmitted infection (STI)? How do you know? Did your partner tell you?
• What are your symptoms?
  • Do you have sores in the genital area or anywhere else on your body?
  • Do they usually come and go?
  • Do you have any urinary symptoms, including frequent urination, burning or stinging with urination, or urinating in small amounts?
  • If you have discharge from the vagina or penis, it is important to note any smell or color.
• What method of birth control do you use? Did you use condoms to protect against STIs?
• Which high-risk sexual behaviors do you or your partner engage in?
• Have you had an STI in the past? How was it treated?

After the medical history is taken:

• A woman will have a gynecological exam. A Pap test is not specific for genital herpes but may be included, depending on the woman's medical history.
• A man will have a genital exam to check for HSV infection.

Your doctor may be able to diagnose genital herpes from your medical history and physical exam, especially if the herpes sores are typical in appearance. But if this is your first outbreak of suspected genital herpes, further testing may be done to confirm the diagnosis.

Herpes tests cannot always show if you have a primary genital herpes outbreak or you have been infected in the past. Sometimes a test result can be negative even though the person has herpes.