EASY SAMPLE COLLECTION: The collection kits and instructions make sample collection a simple, convenient process that can be done in the privacy and comfort of your home.

MULTIPLE INFECTION SCREENING: This test is a PCR/NAAT screening test for herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, and includes both standard specimen collection options for comprehensive results. It includes prepaid return envelopes for both kits, allowing them to be returned at different times to ensure the highest possible accuracy.

PRIVATE TESTING: Discreet at-home sample collection in plain packaging enables the highest quality lab testing without the need to visit a clinic. Our lab and testing methods are HIPAA compliant, and a certified physician or nurse practitioner signs off on all screening test requests. 

ACCURATE RESULTS: NAAT testing is the gold standard for confirmatory detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2. Please note that a direct swab of an open sore is most likely to give a true negative for herpes simplex virus 1 or 2. As this is an NAAT, your specimen must contain HSV-1 or HSV-2 DNA to produce a positive result. All positive results are extracted and run twice separately to ensure accuracy.

URINE TESTING:  This first void urine (FVU) collection kit is for the initial part of your urine stream, which contains significantly more pathogenic material than a standard urine sample. This FVU collection kit is designed to replace inaccurate IgM antibody testing and to detect individuals with active infections in the urogenital tract. Tests performed exclusively via first-void urine are more likely to yield false negatives than direct lesion swabs; however, they are much more likely to produce accurate results than a standard urine sample. They are most accurate more than 5 days after exposure, but before the first outbreak, up to 16 weeks after exposure. FVU can also produce more precise results than swabs for symptomatic individuals without sores if a herpes virus infection presents as urethritis, or for any other form of active herpes virus infection in the urogenital tract. It is least accurate directly after an infection, or when sores in the urogenital area or tract are no longer wet or open, and all symptoms of a herpes virus infection have gone. The initial symptoms of a herpes virus outbreak include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, along with a tingling, itching, or burning sensation in the affected area. The FVU test cannot detect oral or anal herpes infections.

SWAB TESTING: The swabs may be used on any location on the exterior of the body or inside the mouth, in areas with open (wet) sores or lesions. Optimal results are typically achieved within the first 24 to 48 hours following the initial outbreak, only on external wet or open sores or lesions, or on lesions found inside the mouth during an outbreak. 

IMPORTANT: Tests conducted by both methods produce the most accurate results. Neither test collection method is likely to produce accurate results directly after an outbreak or with dry, crusted, or scabbed-over lesions, as you are likely to have a high level of antibodies in your blood and a very low viral load in your urine at that time. Optimal results are typically achieved within the first 24 to 48 hours following the initial outbreak, or in the time leading up to an outbreak, and have begun to feel the initial symptoms. The initial symptoms of a herpes virus outbreak include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, along with a tingling, itching, or burning sensation in the affected area. These initial symptoms can be followed by the appearance of painful blisters or sores, typically on the genitals, buttocks, or thighs. 

• Swabs are most accurate within 24–48 hours of open lesions
• First-void urine is useful for symptomatic individuals without lesions

• False negatives are possible (read more below)

If you undergo serological testing, be aware that the false-positive rate is approximately 20% for tests that claim 97-98% accuracy, and the false-negative rate is also relatively high. The high accuracy rate is a measure of their ability to hit the possible limitations of the test's optimal accuracy, which is limited by the inaccurate nature of antibody screening tests. A confirmatory Western blot test, or a swab-based PCR test, is highly recommended if positive for HSV-1 or HSV-2 by serological testing, if external lesions or lesions in the mouth are present, and/or a first-void urine PCR test (a standard urine collection is not recommended) if urethritis symptoms are present.

False positives are more likely with serological testing in individuals who have received recent vaccinations, have been previously exposed to other herpes viruses, or have been recently infected with any non-herpes virus. This can result in an exceptionally high antibody count in the blood and/or non-specific antibody-antigen binding, potentially leading to false-positive results.

The CDC does not recommend serological screening tests for HSV-1 or HSV-2 in asymptomatic individuals when exposure is not suspected, due to the high likelihood of false positives.

• First-void urine kit
• Capillary blood collection kit
• Lancet, heat pack, swab, bandages
• Ice pack
• Prepaid 1-day return shipping