Herpes Test Price in Pakistan: Rs 1,750 at Marham Lab

A herpes test looks for signs of the herpes simplex virus. MedlinePlus explains that HSV is a common viral infection, that many people with HSV do not have any symptoms, and that those who do often have painful blisters or sores on the affected parts of the body. At Marham Lab the IgM blood test costs Rs 1,750, reduced from Rs 2,500.

MedlinePlus is explicit, and it is the single most useful line on this page: in general, medical experts do not recommend HSV testing for people without symptoms of HSV.

There are two reasons a blood antibody test disappoints people who buy it out of worry.

First, timing. MedlinePlus states that you can have a negative result when you really do have a herpes infection if you had a blood test for HSV antibodies too soon after an infection began, because your body takes up to three months to make HSV antibodies.

Second, interpretation. It states that if a blood test shows you have HSV antibodies, the antibodies could be from an active infection now or a past infection. A positive antibody result does not tell you when you were infected or whether you are infectious today.

So if you have no sores and no symptoms, speak to a doctor before paying for this. If you do have a sore, read the next section, because a swab is the better test.

MedlinePlus explains that if there are sores or blisters, your provider will collect fluid from the sore using a swab, and can then test it two ways. A viral culture grows cells from the sample in a lab and a technician checks the culture for HSV. A PCR test looks for genetic material from the virus and is faster and more accurate than a viral culture.

It notes the swab is taken from a herpes sore that has not begun to heal yet. So the window matters. A sore that is already crusting gives a poorer sample than a fresh one.

It states that the blood antibody test is used if there are no sores or blisters, and may be used on those who are at high risk of getting HSV.

If you currently have a sore, ask your doctor about a PCR swab rather than booking a blood antibody test.

MedlinePlus explains both, and the split is not as neat as people assume.

HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes, which can result in cold sores on or around your mouth. It notes most people get oral herpes by the time they are young adults, usually from non-sexual contact with saliva from a person who has an HSV-1 infection, which may happen if you share forks, cups or towels. HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes if you receive oral sex from a partner with a cold sore.

HSV-2 is the most common cause of genital herpes, which is a sexually transmitted infection, meaning you get it through sexual contact with a person who has a herpes infection even if they do not have symptoms. HSV-2 can also spread to the mouth.

Worth holding onto: a positive HSV-1 is extremely common and most often came from childhood saliva contact, not from sex.

MedlinePlus lists the symptoms that are the usual reason for testing: blisters or sores on the mouth, genitals, anus, buttocks or other skin areas, which develop a crust as they heal; fever and flu-like symptoms; swollen glands; pain or tingling in the affected area; discharge from the urethra or vagina; and painful urination.

On the course it says sores and other symptoms only last for several weeks, and after their first appearance they will fade and then come back in the future, with outbreaks tending to be milder over time.

It also notes you may need a test if you have no symptoms yet your partner has genital herpes or symptoms that might be genital herpes.

MedlinePlus states there is no cure for HSV, and medicines can help manage outbreaks, and that HSV usually does not cause any major health problems. If you have HSV, treatment can help reduce the number of outbreaks and control your symptoms.

Two follow-ups it raises directly.

Pregnancy. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, you can pass the virus to your fetus before birth or during childbirth, and this can lead to a life-threatening HSV infection for your baby. It notes a provider may order an HSV test for the baby. This is a conversation to have with your obstetrician early rather than late.

Other infections. It states that having an HSV infection may increase your risk of getting HIV and other STIs, and advises talking with your provider about [HIV testing](/labs/tests/hiv-test-price) along with testing for other infections.

MedlinePlus notes that using condoms or dental dams can reduce the risk of getting or passing HSV, and is honest that they cannot provide complete protection, since infection can still come from contact with skin a condom does not cover. It suggests asking your provider how to know when your risk of spreading the virus may be high, since outbreaks come and go.

It also notes that rare cases of HSV in the brain and spinal cord can lead to encephalitis or meningitis, in which case a provider may test cerebrospinal fluid rather than blood.

MedlinePlus states you do not need any special preparations for a swab test or a blood test. No fasting.

For the blood test a trained phlebotomist takes a sample from a vein in your arm, which usually takes less than five minutes with very little risk beyond slight pain or bruising. After a swab test you may have a little bleeding or discomfort where the skin was swabbed, which usually does not last long. In Lahore the blood sample can be collected at your home at no extra cost.