There are no at home male herpes tests. If you suspect you have herpes go see a doctor immediately.

Genital herpes in men and women is first diagnosed by clinical inspection of herpetic sores or ulcers in the mouth or on the genitals.  A sample of fluid may be taken from the base of a genital sore and cultured in the laboratory to detect the growth of the virus.

Herpes lesions or sores can appear on the genitals in both men and women. Herpes is most likely to be transmitted during outbreaks of the disease (when the sores are present, that is), but is can be transmitted at other times as well. Stress increases the likelihood of outbreaks.

Symptoms of oral herpes include old sores or fever blisters on the lips, mouth or throat. Modes of transmission include touching, kissing, sexual contact with sores or blisters; sharing cups, towels, and toilet seats.

The Importance of Male Herpes Tests and Other STI Checkups

A sexually active person should have health examinations regularly – at least once a year. Checkups are a small investment to make in one’s own health. Many people are symptom-less carriers of STIs including herpes. Male herpes tests and other medical checkups allow you to learn about and receive treatment for disorders that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Some couples reach a mutual agreement to be tested for herpes and other STIs before they initate sexual relations. Some people simply insist that their prospective partners be tested before they iniate sexual relations.  But many people resist testing or feel insulted when their partners raise the issue.

People usually assume that they are free of herpes and other STIs  if they have no symptoms and have been reasonably selective in their choice of partners.  But STIs happen to the “nicest people” and the absense of symptoms is no guarantee of freedom from infection.  Unless you have been celibate or have been involved in a monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner, you should consider yourself at risk of barring or contracting an infectious STI including herpes.

Keep in mind that if you think you may have been exposed to herpes or another STI, early intervention by getting a male herpes test done may prevent spreading of the virus to other people and parts of your body.  Be sensitive to any physical changes that may be symptomatic of STIs.  Talk to a health professional when in doubt.

Female to male herpes transmission or vice versa can be through oral, anal or vaginal sexual activity with an infected person.  The herpes viruses can also survive for several hours on toilet seats or other objects, where they can be picked up by direct contact. Oral herpes is easily contracted by drinking from the same cup as an infected person, by kissing, and even by sharing towels.  But genital herpes in men and women is generally spread by coitus or by oral or anal sex.

Many people do not realize that they are infected, and so they can be unknowingly transmit the virus through sexual contact. And many of the people who do they are infected don’t realize that they can pass along the virus even when they have no noticeable outbreak.  Although genital herpes is most contagious during active flare-ups, female to male herpes transmission can also occur when an infected partner has no symptoms (genital sores or feelings of burning or itching in the genitals).  Any intimate contact with an infected person carries some risk of transmission of the virus, even if the infected person never has another outbreak.  People may also be infected with the virus and have no outbreaks, and yet pass the virus along to others.

Herpes can also be spread from one part of the body to another by touching the infected area and then touching another body part. One potentially serious result is a herpes infection of the eye: ocular herpes.  Thorough washing with soap and water after touching an infected area may reduce the risk of spreading the infection to other parts of the body.  Still, it is best to avoid touching the infected area altogether, especially if there are active sores.

Women with genital herpes are more likely than the general population to have miscarriages.  Passage through the birth canal of an infected mother can infect babies with genital herpes, damaging or killing them.  Obstetricians thus often perform Caesarean sections if the mother has active lesions or prodromal symptoms at the time of delivery.  Herpes can also place women at greater risk of genital cancers, such as cervical cancer.  All women, not just women with herpes, are advised to have pelvic examinations, including Pap tests for early detection of cervical cancer.