Q:

I recently was tested for HSV. The nurse practitioner said I am now a carrier, but made it sound like there was not a way to differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2. I was originally trying to get checked for Type 2 because my boyfriend has Type 1 and that maybe there was possible contraction through oral sex. Is there a way to find out which Type I have contracted?

 

A:

There are specific tests for Type 1 and Type 2 and if the test was done in our clinic, it would differentiate the two.  If it was done elsewhere, it still should be differentiating which Herpes, so please ask your provider again for an actual copy of the result.   The blood test looks for antibodies to the virus, which indicates past exposure and infection (but doesn't indicate a "carrier" status) and the PCR test of a blister/lesion actually isolates which virus is present at that time.

~The Doc