Though, most doctors will begin treatment if the sores appear
typical of Genital Herpes, it is not the same each time. Genital
herpes can be difficult to diagnose without proper tests as the
symptoms may not be noticeable in some people. Moreover, the
symptoms for genital herpes are quite similar to different
illnesses like lichen planus, atopic dermatitis and urethritis.
For diagnosing genital herpes, the swab of the suspected patient
is collected and sent to the laboratory for analyzing. A variety
of tests may be advised to establish the diagnosis. These
include the following: - Virus culture - Polymerase chain
reaction to find the virus DNA. - Using antibodies to the virus
to determine the presence of the genital herpes virus. If the
symptoms are visible and the sores are still unhealed then virus
culture is recommended as the swab can be collected from the
infected tissue. When the genital herpes is asymptomatic (no
symptoms), then blood tests are used. The presence of the herpes
simplex virus needs to be