Im confused. How do the blood test determine if its herpes 1 genital or herpes 2 genital. Its all the same place.
blood tests are less accurate than getting a lesion swabbed and cultured. But blood tests test for the amount and range of antibodies of the hsv1 and hsv2 virus. They are different viruses and blood work can show which antibodies you have but it cannot show whether you have it orally or genitally.
Here’s it in a professional’s words from WebMD
Blood tests can detect the HSV antibodies, which are proteins produced by the immune system in response to an infection. With direct fluorescent antibody testing, a solution containing HSV antibodies and a fluorescent dye is added to the sample of cells. If the virus is present in the sample, the antibodies stick to it and glow when viewed under a special microscope. The test can’t tell you when you were infected – and it may take weeks for antibodies to form.
Antibody tests can tell the difference between the two types of HSV. It’s important to know which type you have. If you’re infected with type 2 (HSV-2), you may have outbreaks more often than you would with type 1 (HSV-1), which also causes cold sores that appear on the lips and around the mouth.
Unfortunately, an antibody test only tests whether you have been exposed or ever had herpes virus. It is helpful, but does not diagnose a specific outbreak.