infections
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infections
Diagnosis of HSV Infections
Testing of a sample taken from the sore If doctors suspect a brain infection, magnetic resonance imaging and a spinal tap Herpes simplex virus infection is usually easy for doctors to recognize. If unsure, doctors may use a swab to take a sample of material from the sore and send the swab to a laboratory to grow (culture) and identify the virus. Material from the sore can also be tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify the herpes simplex DNA. PCR is a more sensitive test than viral culture, which means it will miss fewer cases of the virus. Sometimes doctors examine material scraped from the blisters under a microscope. Although the virus itself cannot be seen, scrapings sometimes contain enlarged infected cells (giant cells) that are characteristic of infection by a herpes-type virus. Blood tests to identify antibodies to HSV can also be helpful. ( Antibodies are produced by the immune system to help defend the body against a particular attacker, such as HSV.) Certain blood tests can distinguish between HSV-1 infection and HSV-2 infection. If a brain infection is suspected, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain and a 