Herpes FAQs

Oral herpes, also knows as a cold sore or a fever blister, is a common infection of the mouth area that is usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be caused by either herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Most people who have HSV-1 or HSV-2 are not aware of their condition because they don’t have symptoms.

The diagnosis of herpes simplex virus can be made by reviewing a patient’s complaint, current symptoms, past medical history and photographs – this is referred to as a clinical diagnosis.

HerpAlert is a telehealth application that allows patients with a chief complaint of herpes simplex virus (HSV) to connect with physicians for secure, private and fast diagnosis and treatment.

You simply register, complete the electronic information questionnaire, upload pictures and select a payment method. That’s it. Your information will then be analyzed and assessed by a physician.

The time it takes to receive a response from a physician provider depends on the time of day you send it and how busy the portal is at that time. Most patients receive a response within a few hours; some as fast as 60 minutes.

HerpAlert follows industry standards in security and compliance. HerpAlert encrypts all transactions and only stores encrypted patient data for the bare minimum amount of time.

HerpAlert utilizes dedicated web servers, intrusion detection, and scheduled vulnerability scanning to ensure that patient and physician data is kept private and secure. All patient photographs are stored separately and have no personal information associated with them. The patient’s name, address, and phone number will be automatically deleted after the patient receives a diagnosis and prescription.

HerpAlert partners only with board-certified physicians. The patient information that’s input into HerpAlert will ONLY be seen by your assigned physician.

Yes. There are blood tests (PCR and antibody tests) and cell culture procedures (taking a swab of an active lesion and looking under a microscope) that can be used to diagnose herpes. These are not offered by HerpAlert but can be requested during an in-person examination with a health care provider.

HerpAlert doesn't offer legal advice and recommends that you pose this question to an attorney in your respective area as laws on the topic vary from state to state. That said, it may be considered illegal, civilly and criminally, to knowingly or recklessly transmit an STD (sexually transmitted disease) depending on the state.