[Question #3499] PCR accuracy

88 months ago

I had some symptoms inside of my mouth that concerns me for herpes, the symptoms started 5 days ago and I contacted my dentist and he said he would do a PCR swab but couldn’t get me in until Wednesday, the symptoms have subsided a little bit, but there still there. Would a PCR be reliable after this amount of time?

88 months ago

My apologies, the appointment actually isn’t until Thursday of this week, so it would be a week from the time I noticed the symptoms.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

88 months ago

That's pretty far away from the symptoms, I don't think that is soon enough for accuracy
I am going to allow one more post and then will need to end these anxiety driven questions

Terri
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88 months ago

Okay.

The doctor that I saw said that she has seen many primary infections of HSV1 in the throat and that a PCR swab would still pick up shedding virus, especially if it was a primary infection, thoughts?

The doctor said that the symptoms didn’t look classical for herpes.

I did have some white spots that the antibiotics cleared up, so would you assume that this was bacterial rather than herpetic? I still have some little red looking things on my right tonsil, but they don’t hurt? That’s what I had swabbed, but does that sound herpetic to you.

And thank you for allowing one more question.

88 months ago

Sorry I also forgot to mention that they were able to squeeze me in yesterday, so that would make it 6 days after I saw the white spots.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

88 months ago

It does not sound herpetic to me. This is my final response on your anxiety driven questions.

Terri
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