Online herpes test referral · Australia-wide testing
FREEwith Medicare (bulk-billed)
A Specialist GP arranges your test over a quick phone call — they review your symptoms, send a swab or blood-test referral by SMS, and explain what the result means. A swab of an active sore is the most useful test, and results are best understood with a GP.
Book a telehealth consult — free with Medicare (bulk-billed)
Get tested at any pathology lab Australia-wide — simply walk in
Results by SMS in 2-3 days — telehealth treatment if positive
Herpes is a common infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It can affect the genital area (genital herpes) or the mouth and lips (oral herpes, or cold sores). Once you have the virus it stays in the body long-term, usually quiet, with occasional flare-ups. Most of the time it causes no problems, and many people who carry it never know they have it.
The most important thing to say up front is that herpes is extremely common and very manageable, and having it is nothing to be ashamed of. A huge proportion of the population carries HSV. It doesn’t reflect on your character or your choices, it doesn’t stop you having relationships or a normal sex life, and effective treatment is available. If you take one thing from this page, let it be that.
HSV-1 and HSV-2
There are two types of herpes simplex virus, and either can cause genital or oral herpes:
HSV-1 — traditionally the cause of cold sores around the mouth, but increasingly a cause of genital herpes too, often through oral sex.
HSV-2 — the type most often associated with genital herpes.
Knowing the type can be useful — HSV-1 genital infections tend to recur less often than HSV-2 — but both are managed in similar ways. What matters most is how it affects you, not the label.
Herpes Symptoms in Men and Women
Many people with herpes have no symptoms, or symptoms so mild they’re mistaken for something else — a small graze, irritation, or a patch of sensitive skin. When herpes symptoms do appear, they typically involve small blisters that break to form shallow, tender sores or ulcers, which then crust and heal. There may be tingling or itching beforehand. The symptoms differ a little between men and women, mainly because of anatomy.
Herpes symptoms in men
In men, genital herpes symptoms usually appear on or around the penis, but can also affect the scrotum, anus, buttocks or upper thighs. Typical symptoms in men include:
Small blisters that break into tender sores or ulcers
Tingling, itching or burning before the sores appear
Pain or stinging when passing urine if sores are near the urethra
Sometimes swollen glands in the groin, particularly with a first episode
Herpes symptoms in women
In women, genital herpes symptoms can appear on the vulva, around the vaginal opening, and on the anus, buttocks or thighs — and sometimes internally on the cervix, where they may not be seen. Typical symptoms in women include:
Small blisters that break into tender sores or ulcers
Tingling, itching or burning beforehand
Pain when passing urine, which can be marked if sores are near the urethra
Unusual vaginal discharge
Swollen glands in the groin, especially with a first episode
Because sores can be internal or subtle, herpes in women is sometimes mistaken for thrush, cystitis or irritation — another reason a proper test matters when there are symptoms.
First episode versus recurrences
The first (primary) episode of herpes is often the most noticeable. It can involve more extensive or painful sores and flu-like symptoms — fever, headache, aches and swollen glands — as the body meets the virus for the first time. It settles over a week or two.
After that, the virus stays dormant and may reactivate from time to time, causing recurrences. The good news is that recurrences are usually much milder and shorter than the first episode, often preceded by a warning tingle (the prodrome), and they tend to become less frequent over the years. Many people find recurrences become infrequent or stop bothering them altogether.
How Herpes Spreads
Herpes spreads through skin-to-skin contact with an affected area, including during vaginal, anal and oral sex. Two points are important and often surprising:
It can spread even without visible sores. The virus can be present on the skin and transmissible at times when there are no symptoms at all (asymptomatic shedding). This is how most herpes is actually passed on — by people who don’t know they have it.
Oral herpes can cause genital herpes. Cold sores (usually HSV-1) can be passed to a partner’s genitals through oral sex.
Because so much transmission happens without symptoms, herpes is nobody’s “fault” — it’s simply a very common virus that spreads quietly. That’s worth remembering both for your own peace of mind and when thinking about a partner.
Herpes Testing
The best herpes test depends on whether you have symptoms:
If you have a sore, a swab is the test. A swab taken directly from an active blister or ulcer and analysed by a molecular test (PCR) is the most accurate way to diagnose herpes and identify the type. This is the preferred test, so it’s worth being seen while a sore is present.
Blood tests have a limited role. A blood test can detect antibodies from past exposure, but it can’t tell where the infection is, can give misleading results, and isn’t recommended for routine screening. It’s used only in specific situations a clinician will explain.
Herpes is not part of a standard asymptomatic STI screen. Routine screens for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV don’t include herpes, and a blood test for herpes isn’t recommended just to “check.” Herpes is tested when you have symptoms — by swabbing a sore. So a clear routine screen doesn’t rule herpes in or out; if you develop a sore, that’s when to be seen.
How testing works with Clinic365
If you have a sore now, a Specialist GP arranges a swab over a quick phone call and sends your pathology referral by SMS, so you can walk into any pathology lab Australia-wide — no appointment needed. Results come back by SMS, usually in 2-3 days, and if herpes is confirmed the Specialist GP calls you to arrange treatment. If you don’t have symptoms but want to check for other infections, you can book a full STI test, keeping in mind that routine screening doesn’t include herpes.
Herpes Treatment and Living With Herpes
Herpes can’t be cured — the virus stays in the body — but it’s very effectively managed, and for most people it becomes a minor, occasional issue. Treatment is with antiviral medication, used in one of two ways:
Episodic treatment — a short course of antiviral treatment taken at the first sign of an outbreak, which shortens it and eases symptoms. Starting early, at the tingle stage, works best.
Suppressive treatment — a daily antiviral taken ongoing to prevent or greatly reduce recurrences. This suits people who get frequent or troublesome outbreaks, and it has the added benefit of reducing the risk of passing herpes to a partner.
Alongside medication, simple comfort measures help during an outbreak — keeping the area clean and dry, pain relief, and loose clothing. A clinician will help you decide which approach fits your situation, and you can switch between them over time as your needs change.
Living with herpes and reducing transmission
A herpes diagnosis can feel confronting, largely because of stigma rather than the reality of the condition. In practice, most people find it has far less impact on their life than they first feared. Recurrences usually lessen over time, treatment keeps outbreaks in check, and plenty of people with herpes have happy relationships and healthy sex lives.
To reduce the chance of passing it on: avoid sexual contact during an outbreak or when you feel one coming on, consider daily suppressive treatment (which lowers transmission), and use condoms, which reduce but don’t entirely eliminate the risk since herpes affects skin a condom doesn’t cover. Being open with partners matters too — many people are relieved to find how common and manageable it is.
Herpes and pregnancy
If you have herpes and are pregnant or planning pregnancy, tell your clinician. Genital herpes can, rarely, be passed to a baby around the time of birth, which can be serious — the risk is highest if a first infection is caught late in pregnancy. This is very manageable with the right care: your clinician may recommend suppressive treatment later in pregnancy and will plan the safest delivery, so the risk to the baby is minimised. If you already had herpes before pregnancy, the risk to the baby is low, but it’s still important your maternity team knows so they can look after you both.
Frequently asked questions
Herpes is a common infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), affecting the genitals (genital herpes) or the mouth and lips (cold sores). The virus stays in the body long-term, usually quiet, with occasional flare-ups. Most of the time it causes no problems, and many people who carry it never know. It’s very common and very manageable.
There are two types of herpes simplex virus, and either can cause genital or oral herpes. HSV-1 traditionally causes cold sores but increasingly causes genital herpes too, often via oral sex. HSV-2 is the type most often linked to genital herpes. HSV-1 genital infections tend to recur less often, but both are managed similarly.
Many people have no symptoms, or symptoms so mild they’re mistaken for irritation or a graze. When they appear, herpes typically causes small blisters that break into tender sores or ulcers, which crust and heal, often with tingling or itching beforehand. A first episode may include flu-like symptoms. Symptoms differ slightly between men and women due to anatomy.
In men, genital herpes usually appears on or around the penis, but can affect the scrotum, anus, buttocks or thighs. Symptoms include small blisters that break into tender sores, tingling or burning beforehand, pain passing urine if sores are near the urethra, and sometimes swollen glands in the groin, especially with a first episode.
In women, genital herpes can appear on the vulva, around the vaginal opening, and on the anus, buttocks or thighs, and sometimes internally on the cervix where it may not be seen. Symptoms include small blisters that break into sores, tingling beforehand, pain passing urine, unusual discharge, and swollen groin glands. It’s sometimes mistaken for thrush or cystitis.
The best test is a swab taken directly from an active sore and analysed by a molecular test (PCR), which accurately diagnoses herpes and identifies the type — so it’s worth being seen while a sore is present. Blood tests detect past exposure but have limitations, can’t tell the site, and aren’t recommended for routine screening. Herpes is tested by swabbing a sore.
No. Routine screens for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV don’t include herpes, and a herpes blood test isn’t recommended just to check. Herpes is tested when you have symptoms, by swabbing a sore. This means a clear routine screen doesn’t rule herpes in or out — if you develop a sore, that’s when to be seen and swabbed.
No, herpes can’t be cured — the virus stays in the body — but it’s very effectively managed, and for most people becomes a minor, occasional issue. Antiviral treatment shortens outbreaks and, taken daily, can prevent them and reduce transmission. Recurrences also tend to become milder and less frequent over time on their own.
With antiviral medication, in one of two ways. Episodic treatment is a short course taken at the first sign of an outbreak to shorten it — starting early works best. Suppressive treatment is a daily antiviral taken ongoing to prevent or greatly reduce recurrences, which also lowers the risk of passing herpes to a partner. A clinician helps you choose.
Yes. The virus can be present on the skin and transmissible even when there are no visible sores (asymptomatic shedding), which is how most herpes is actually passed on — by people who don’t know they have it. This is also why herpes is nobody’s fault; it’s a common virus that spreads quietly. Suppressive treatment reduces this risk.
Absolutely. Plenty of people with herpes have happy relationships and healthy sex lives. To reduce transmission, avoid sexual contact during an outbreak or when one is coming on, consider daily suppressive treatment, and use condoms (which reduce but don’t fully eliminate risk). Being open with partners helps — many are relieved to learn how common and manageable it is.
It can, so tell your clinician if you have herpes and are pregnant or planning to be. Herpes can rarely be passed to a baby around birth, with the highest risk if a first infection is caught late in pregnancy. It’s very manageable — your clinician may recommend suppressive treatment later in pregnancy and plan the safest delivery to protect the baby.
It’s understandably daunting, but many people find it goes better than expected, especially once a partner learns how common and manageable herpes is. Choose a calm, private moment, share the facts simply, and explain how you manage it and reduce risk. A clinician can help you prepare, and support is available. Honesty builds trust and lets you both make informed choices.
See a clinician if you have new genital sores or blisters (ideally while they’re present, so a swab can be taken), a first episode with severe symptoms, frequent or troublesome recurrences you’d like to treat, or if you’re pregnant. Also seek care if you’re unsure what a sore is — several conditions can look similar, and testing sorts it out.
