Book Your Virus Test

Sample type needed	Urine, Swab or Blood
Incubation period	Test dependent
Who is this test suitable for?	Men and Women
Results time	Test dependent but generally within 4 days from when your sample is received in the lab
Treatment	Most infections and disorders can be treated effectively
Where can I get tested?	All Better2Know centres

What is Virus Testing?

A virus is a biological organism that reproduces inside the cells of other living things. Viruses are amongst the most simple organisms, consisting of genes made from DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA (ribonucleic acid) surrounded by a protein coat called a Capsid. To reproduce, viruses must invade a host cell and there they reprogram it to produce many thousands of copies of the original virus. Once the host cell has done this it generally dies, and the new viruses go on to invade and take over other host cells and so the cycle continues. Viral Testing is the activity performed in a clinical laboratory to look for and identify any virus that might have infected you. To date over 5000 different viruses have been identified and it is likely that there are many more viruses yet to be discovered.

How do I know if I have a Viral Infection?

Most people will be infected with a virus at some point in their lives. The Common Cold is caused by a virus and whilst unpleasant, it does not generally pose any threat to our lives. However there are many other viruses that make us very ill and can lead to serious sickness and even death. Most viral infections usually produce similar symptoms including tiredness, fever, rashes, aches, headaches, and other feelings of not being well. Of course, some viral infections (Ebola, Marburg hemorrhagic fever, Lassa fever) produce much more serious symptoms including uncontrolled bleeding from the eyes, ears and mouth. If you experience any symptoms such as those described above you should seek help and contact Better2Know.We will help you decide what the best course of action is and help you get the right Viral Tests to identify the source of infection.

How can I get Viral Infections?

Viruses are all around us and they can be passed from person to person either through the exchange of bodily fluids, in moisture drops when a person coughs or sneezes or by skin to skin contact. It is very difficult if not impossible to avoid catching the common cold, but by taking sensible precautions it is possible to prevent or significantly reduce your chances of catching other viral infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Using precautions when having sexual relations is a good way of protecting yourself from these viruses but others such as the Herpes Simplex viruses that cause cold sores and genital ulcers are not so easily avoided.

What happens if I do not get treatment for a Viral Infection?

Some viral infections do not require treatment, whilst for others, treatment is vitally important. Viral Testing is the best way to identify what virus is infecting your body and this will inform our doctors as to what treatment is needed. Virus testing is easy to do and generally only requires a swab of the symptomatic site, a small blood sample or sometimes only a urine sample. These samples can then be investigated and the virus identified. An advantage of Virus Tests is that they are generally quick and we will have results back from our lab in only a couple of days.

How do I get tested?

Getting a Viral Test is easy and we can arrange your Virus Test at any of our clinics across the Middle East. All you need to do is contact Better2Know and tell us what symptoms you have or what is concerning you and our team of trained patient services executives will be able to help you decide what Viral Testing is right for you.

Viral infections can be very serious and require treatment. Like many other infections however, you will not always have any symptoms when you have a virus infection so the only way to be sure you know what the problem is, is to have a Virus Test. Contact Better2Know now to arrange your Viral Testing.