Blood tests are expensive, so to make sure you get enough out of your $$,
wait the recommended 12 - 16 weeks.  If you test earlier than that, you'll
just have to retest later.

ar

I'm trying to find a chart of graph of antibody development over time
after exposure but haven't found such a thing, yet.

Deep down in the PDF file at the link below, however, is this:

"Another common situation is the asymptomatic person who may have
recently been exposed to genital herpes. If this individual is within
8 weeks of exposure, genital herpes is difficult to diagnose, as many
assays are most sensitive when the antibody profile has fully
developed (usually after 6–8 weeks [Figure 5])."

http://www.ihmf.org/library/monograph/m_07.pdf

[Figure 5 is not legible, by the way]

I would guess that reliability of a test at six weeks is around 50/50
or worse.

Still looking...

Mike

John,

There is a 12-16 range because everybody is different when it comes to the
herpes virus.
Not everybody will test correctly at 6 weeks and that is why they use that
12 - 16 range.
If folks want to be certain . . . they can always wait for the 16 week
range. If somebody has a flare up they can have cultured then they don't
have to wait. The important thing is to get that culture done within the
first 24 ours of the outbreak.

http://members.cox.net/yoshi2me/Links/Links.htm

Angela