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. No Medicare? Prefer no call? Order it online for $39 instead.
A swab of an active sore is the most useful test, and results are best understood with a GP.
Book a bulk-billed phone consult — or order a $39 referral
Get tested at any pathology lab Australia-wide — simply walk in
Results by SMS in 2-3 days — free telehealth if positive
Pathology tests covered by Medicare and most Private Health Insurers.
Herpes Testing
Herpes testing depends on whether you have a sore right now. A swab needs an active blister or ulcer — it cannot diagnose herpes when there is nothing to swab, but it is the test that matters during an outbreak. A blood test (HSV IgG) only shows whether you have ever been infected, not where or when, and a negative result does not fully rule out a recent infection. Results are best discussed with a Specialist GP who can put them in context.
What herpes is. A common viral skin infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-1, the cold-sore type, is carried by around two-thirds of Australian adults; HSV-2, more often genital, by about one in seven. Both types can affect either area, depending on the type of contact. The virus stays in the body for life and settles in nearby nerves between outbreaks, which is why it can reappear — though most people have no symptoms at all, or only very mild ones they may not recognise as herpes.
If you have symptoms, get a swab. During a possible outbreak the sore is unroofed, the base is swabbed, and the lab runs a PCR test that confirms HSV and identifies the type. Swab early — once a sore crusts over, the test becomes less reliable, so the first day or two of an outbreak is the best time to test.
How often symptoms appear. Only around 20% of people with HSV-2 ever notice symptoms. When they do, they come as outbreaks — sometimes triggered by stress, illness, or hormone changes. The first outbreak is usually the worst, with later ones typically milder, shorter, and less frequent over time.
Why the type matters. Genital HSV-1 tends to recur less often than genital HSV-2, so knowing which type you have helps you understand what to expect — how often outbreaks might happen, and what it means for partners. The PCR swab reports the type, which is one reason it is more useful than a blood test during an outbreak.
If your result is positive, a Specialist GP calls you to discuss what it means and arrange treatment — antiviral treatment can shorten outbreaks and reduce how often they happen.
Talking about it. Herpes is extremely common and very manageable, but a diagnosis can still feel daunting. A Specialist GP can talk through what it means for you and for partners, without judgement, and cover the practical options for reducing outbreaks and lowering the chance of passing it on.
Reducing the chance of passing it on. Herpes is most infectious during an outbreak but can transmit between outbreaks too. Avoiding contact when symptoms are present, using condoms, and taking daily antiviral treatment all lower the risk. Telling new partners when you are well is part of looking after each other — many people find the conversation easier than they expect.
Frequently asked questions
At least 6 weeks. Antibodies usually become detectable in the blood between 6 and 12 weeks after infection. Some people take a few weeks longer. Testing earlier than 6 weeks risks a false negative. If a first test is negative and you suspect a recent exposure, repeat at 12 weeks. For symptoms now, a swab from a lesion does not need a waiting period — it is reliable as soon as a sore appears.
An index of 1.8 falls in the low-positive grey zone (1.1 to 3.5). Results in this range have a relatively high rate of false positives. The most common cause is cross-reactivity with HSV-1 antibodies from past cold-sore exposure. A low-positive HSV-2 result in someone with no symptoms should not be treated as a confirmed diagnosis. Confirmatory testing options include a Western blot test (sent interstate) or a PCR swab if symptoms develop later. A GP review of the actual value and your history is worthwhile before drawing conclusions.
Because the test result often does not change anything practical. HSV is very common (around two-thirds of Australians carry HSV-1, around one in seven carry HSV-2). Many positive results in symptom-free people are either false positives in the low-positive range, or detections of infection that was never going to cause symptoms. Routine testing can cause significant distress for a result that does not lead to treatment or change behaviour in a useful way. Targeted testing — for a specific clinical reason — is more helpful than blanket screening.
No, not in adults. IgM is an antibody that appears early in infection, but for HSV it is unreliable in adults for diagnostic purposes. People with old, long-standing infections often still test IgM positive (because the virus reactivates). People with new infections sometimes test IgM negative. Many international labs have stopped offering IgM testing for HSV altogether. Australian guidance recommends IgG only for adult diagnosis.
It depends on what you want the result to tell you. If you have symptoms or have ever had unexplained genital irritation, yes — a swab during any future episode is the most useful test. If you have no symptoms but want to know whether you carry HSV, an IgG blood test is an option, but be ready for a possibly-ambiguous low-positive result. Many couples find a discussion with a GP about reducing transmission more useful than a blanket test. Routine partner testing for HSV is not the clear-cut yes it is for chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
Yes, occasionally. A PCR swab is very sensitive when a lesion is fresh and unroofed. The yield drops as the lesion ages. Once a sore has scabbed over, the swab is much less reliable. False negatives also happen when sampling technique is poor (not unroofing the blister), or when the lesion is healing. If you have classic recurrent symptoms but a swab comes back negative, that does not necessarily rule out herpes — another swab on a fresh lesion is often more reliable than going to a blood test.
Talk to your obstetric team before deciding. Pregnancy changes the risk calculation. First-time HSV infection in the last three months of pregnancy carries the highest risk of passing it to the baby during birth. A baseline blood test now can help establish whether you already carry the virus (in which case a new infection is unlikely). The decision is rarely just about the test itself — it is about what your team would do with each possible result, including whether to consider antiviral cover or change birth planning.
Standard pathology testing has a Medicare item number, which appears on your Medicare claim history. If you use Medicare or private insurance to pay for the test, the line item shows up on those records. For a fully private payment with no rebate, nothing flows to Medicare or insurance. Herpes is not a notifiable infection in Australia, so there is no public health register and no contact tracing process. Discuss your specific situation with the GP if record visibility matters for you.
Only if circumstances have changed. A new partner is the most common trigger. A specific concern about a partner’s diagnosis is another. New unexplained genital symptoms are a third. Routine annual retesting in the absence of these triggers is not recommended — it tends to generate false-positive worry without changing what anyone would do. If you do retest, a swab during any symptomatic episode is more useful than a repeat blood test.
A Western blot is a more specific antibody test for HSV that can resolve some of the false-positive results seen with the standard IgG test. It is the reference standard in research settings. In Australian routine practice it is not the first-line test, because it is more complex, takes longer, and is not commonly offered by Australian labs — samples often need to be sent interstate or overseas. Some specialists arrange it specifically for low-positive IgG results when confirmation matters. For most people, a PCR swab during any future symptoms is a more practical confirmation route.
