This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Herpes testing is not one test. The right option depends on whether you have a sore right now, and that surprises many people. This guide walks through the steps, from deciding what to ask for to understanding the result.

It is written for anyone in Austin, whatever your gender, orientation or relationship status. Herpes is common, manageable and nothing to be ashamed of.

What You Need Before You Start

You do not need special equipment. You need a few pieces of information and a plan.

A note of your herpes symptoms. Write down where you noticed them, when they started and what they looked like. Include itching, tingling, pain, blisters, sores or a rash.
A timeline. Note the date of any recent partner change or possible exposure. A clinician uses this to choose the test.
A phone and your calendar. Several Austin sites ask you to call or book first.
Payment information. Bring insurance details if you have them, or ask about fees and sliding scale pricing.
A list of questions. A sample list appears in Step 6.
A trusted person, if you want one. Waiting on results is easier with support.

Step 1: Know the Two Kinds of Herpes Test

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe two main approaches.

The swab of a sore (PCR or culture)

A clinician gently collects fluid or cells from a sore or blister. The sample goes to a lab. CDC prefers a type of test called PCR, which looks for the virus's genetic material. It is more sensitive than a viral culture, according to the CDC guidelines.

This test answers one question: is the virus present in this sore? It can also tell HSV-1 from HSV-2.

The type-specific blood test

A blood test looks for antibodies, which are proteins your body makes in response to the virus. CDC recommends type-specific tests, which can separate HSV-1 antibodies from HSV-2 antibodies. Older tests that do not separate the two types are not useful for most people.

A blood test cannot show where on the body the virus is, or how long ago it arrived. A clinician can explain what a result may mean for you.

Step 2: Decide Which Test Fits Your Situation

Use these general patterns as a starting point. A clinician makes the final call.

You have a new sore or blister. A swab of the sore is usually the better choice, according to CDC. Try to be seen soon, because sores heal and a swab works best on a fresh one.
You have no symptoms and want to be checked. This is where it gets less simple. See Step 3.
A partner has told you they have herpes. CDC says blood tests can be considered for people whose partner has genital herpes. A clinician can help you weigh the pros and cons.
You have had symptoms that came and went. A blood test may be offered if no sore is present to swab. A swab at the next outbreak can also be useful.

Step 3: Understand Why CDC Does Not Recommend Routine Blood Screening

Many people expect herpes to be included in every STD panel. It usually is not, and that is by design.

The CDC guidelines do not recommend routine type-specific blood screening for HSV-1 or HSV-2 in people without symptoms. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also recommends against routine serologic screening for genital herpes in adolescents and adults who have no symptoms, including pregnant people.

The reasoning is about accuracy and benefit. CDC notes that blood tests can give false-positive results, especially when the result is only slightly above the cutoff. A positive result also can come with anxiety, even though many people with herpes have mild or no symptoms. Screening has not been shown to prevent spread in the general population.

This does not mean you are not allowed to ask. If you have a reason to want a blood test, say so. A clinician can talk through the benefits and limits, and some people decide it is worth it.

Step 4: Understand HSV-1 and HSV-2

Two viruses cause herpes. Both can affect the mouth or the genitals.

HSV-1 is most often linked to cold sores around the mouth. CDC notes it is also an increasingly common cause of genital herpes.
HSV-2 is more often linked to genital herpes.

Many people with either virus have no symptoms, or symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed. When symptoms do appear, they can include small blisters, open sores, itching, burning, tingling or pain with urination. The first episode can be more noticeable than later ones. Some people also feel flu-like, with fever or swollen glands.

One practical point: a blood test showing HSV-1 antibodies cannot say whether the virus lives in your mouth or genital area. A swab of a sore can.

Step 5: Choose Where to Go in Austin

Not every Austin clinic lists herpes testing. Call first and ask about herpes by name. The list below is what each site publishes. For a wider look, see our guide to STD testing in Austin, where to get tested and what it costs, or the local clinic list.

Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic

The clinic is in the RBJ Health Center, 15 Waller Street, Austin, TX 78702. The phone number is 512-972-5430. Austin Public Health lists hours as Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. It says the fee for testing and treatment is only $30, and you can schedule online or by phone.

The clinic's page says the standard tests are HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. It also says it can only test for genital herpes if you have active symptoms. That matches the CDC approach above: a swab of a current sore, rather than routine blood screening. Austin Public Health notes that its website content updates may be delayed, so confirm hours and fees by phone. Its main page is the Sexual Health Clinic page.

CommUnityCare IDEALhealth Program

The program is at the Hancock Health Center, 1000 E. 41st St., Suite 700, Austin, TX 78751, phone 512-978-9015. CommUnityCare lists STI and HIV testing and prevention. Its page does not specifically list herpes testing, so ask when you call. CommUnityCare says its sliding fee scale is set in a meeting with a Financial Eligibility Specialist.

Kind Clinic, Austin Koenig

The address is 101 W Koenig Lane, Ste 100, Austin, TX 78751, phone 833-937-5463. Kind Clinic says it offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C at this location. Herpes is not on that published list, so call and ask what is available for a sore. Walk-in STI testing is not offered at the South Austin location. For lab costs, Kind Clinic says patients with health insurance must use it, and that its assistance program can help people who are uninsured.

ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness

ASHwell is at 3100 Red River St, Suite 3, Austin, TX 78705, phone (512) 900-3116. ASHwell says its counseling, testing, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections are always free, though medication may cost something. It does not accept walk-ins, so call or email first. Its page says STI treatment is for ASHwell patients. It does not list herpes by name, so ask.

Vivent Health Austin

The address is 104 E. Highland Mall Blvd, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78752, phone (512) 458-2437. Vivent Health offers free and confidential HIV testing and lists other STI testing. Call to ask about walk-in hours and whether herpes testing is part of the visit.

University Health Services at UT Austin

Students can use the STI testing clinic in the Student Services Building, 100 West Dean Keeton Street, Room 1.400, phone 512-471-4955. University Health Services lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis as test options. Drop-in is for people without symptoms. Anyone with symptoms needs a provider appointment, which is the route to a sore swab.

CDC's testing locator

You can also use gettested.cdc.gov, the CDC's locator for free and low-cost testing sites. It helps you find more places and compare options.

Texas also runs a free mail-order program called Test for Texas. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, it covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Herpes is not on that list, so it does not replace a conversation with a clinician about a sore.

Step 6: Prepare for the Visit

A little preparation makes the appointment faster and less stressful.

Call the clinic and say you have a sore or symptoms, if you do. Ask whether they can swab it and how soon you can come in.
Ask about cost and what is included before you arrive.
Do not put creams or ointments on a sore before the swab, unless a clinician told you to. They can make a sample harder to collect.
Bring your symptom notes and timeline.
Prepare questions. Useful ones include: Which test do you recommend for me, and why? What can this result tell me, and what can it not? When will I hear back, and how?

If you also want other testing, it is fine to ask. Common bacterial infections are checked with separate tests. Our guide to chlamydia symptoms, testing and treatment in Austin explains that process.

Step 7: Read Your Results With a Clinician

Results are best explained by the person who ordered the test. Here is what each result may mean, in general terms.

Swab results

Positive: the test found herpes virus in that sample. It usually also reports HSV-1 or HSV-2.
Negative: the virus was not found in that sample. CDC notes that swab tests can miss the virus, especially if the sore was healing or the sample was small. A clinician can tell you whether repeating the test makes sense.

Blood test results

Positive: antibodies to one or both viruses were found. This suggests past exposure, but it cannot show when or where the virus was acquired.
Negative: no antibodies were found. The CDC guidelines note that antibodies can take weeks to appear, and that a test very soon after an exposure can be negative. A clinician can tell you when a repeat test may be useful.
Borderline or low positive: CDC says these results are more likely to be false positives, and that a second test may be used to confirm.

No test is perfect. Results are one piece of the picture alongside your symptoms and history.

Step 8: Plan Next Steps With a Clinician

Herpes is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable. Many people have few outbreaks, and outbreaks often become milder and less frequent over time, according to CDC.

A clinician can prescribe antiviral medicine. Some people take it only during an outbreak. Others take it daily to reduce the number of outbreaks and lower the chance of passing the virus to a partner. Your clinician decides what fits you and explains how to take it.

General steps CDC describes for living with herpes include these:

Keep sores clean and dry, and avoid sexual contact from the first sign of symptoms until sores have fully healed.
Use condoms. CDC says consistent use lowers the risk but does not remove it, because the virus can spread from skin that a condom does not cover.
Know that the virus can pass to a partner even when no sores are present. CDC calls this asymptomatic shedding.

If you are pregnant, tell your prenatal clinician about any history of herpes or symptoms. They can talk with you about a plan for delivery.

Talking With Partners

Telling a partner can feel daunting. It may help to know that herpes is widespread and that many people with it feel fine.

Choose a private, calm moment, before sex rather than during it.
Share the facts: it is common, manageable, and there are ways to lower the chance of passing it on.
Give your partner time and room to ask questions, and offer to share what your clinician told you.
Let them speak with their own clinician. They can ask about testing options and what a result would mean for them.

Texas has no law specific to HIV or STD exposure, according to a CDC analysis of state laws. That analysis also notes that general criminal laws can still apply in some situations. If you have a specific legal concern, a legal aid organization is the right place to ask.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting for a sore to "look worse" before calling. Sores heal, and a swab is most useful early. Call as soon as you notice one.
Assuming a standard STD panel includes herpes. It often does not. Ask for herpes by name if you want it considered.
Testing right after a possible exposure. A blood test taken too early can miss antibodies. Ask a clinician about timing.
Treating a low positive as the final word. CDC advises caution with borderline blood results and notes confirmatory testing can help.
Assuming a result shows who passed it on. Herpes can stay quiet for years. A result cannot tell you when or from whom it was acquired.
Skipping follow-up. If a result is confusing, ask the clinic to explain it again. That is part of their job.
Going alone to a clinic that does not test for herpes. A quick phone call saves a trip.

What to Expect: Realistic Outcomes

Outcomes vary a lot from person to person. A swab of a sore may identify the virus and its type. It may also come back negative if the sore was too old or the sample missed the virus. A blood test may show antibodies to HSV-1, HSV-2, both or neither, and results close to the cutoff may need a second test.

Whatever the result, a clinician can explain what it may mean and what choices you have. Many people with herpes go on to have healthy relationships, sex lives and families.

Herpes Testing in Austin: Swab, Blood Tests and What the Results Mean