go to your doctor and get tested for genital herpes. a doctor may take a sample from what appears to be a genital herpes sore and examine it under a microscope. you can also have a blood test for genital herpes. the blood test looks for antibodies to the virus that your immune system would have made when you were infected. the second type of herpes simplex virus hsv-2 almost always infects the genitals so if antibodies to hsv-2 are detected in your blood you probably have genital herpes. a blood test that shows antibodies to the other type of herpes virus hsv-1 means you could have genital or oral herpes. that's because oral herpes typically caused by hsv-1 can be spread to the genitals during oral sex.
how can i find out if i've been infected with genital herpes?