Question:
Hi, I'm trying to sort something out.

I know that blood tests for HSV, when accurate, tell you what you have inside you, but not necessarily where you are contagious.

My question is about cultures.

If one were to have an actual outbreak and get it swabbed, does that test tell just what is emerging from the sore it was swabbed from?

For example, take a less commen situation:

Say someone had HSV-1 whitlows (on the hands) and had an outbreak. They also had contracted HSV-2 orally, but didn't know it (no symptoms). The whitlows breaks out and they get it swabbed. What do the test results tell them?

a) the whitlows is HSV-1
b) they have HSV-1 and -2 and are contageous somewhere on their bodies.

Thank you!

Answer:
the culture is specific to what is picked up on the swab so if it is of a hand and it is hsv1 it would show hsv1 if the virus is present at the time of the swab.

it will not tell you if you have oral coldsores or a genital infection or the strand in those locations.