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Concerning Rash
I compete in a team watersport 3 times a week in San Diego Mission bay. The water is known to be very dirty especially after heavy rains as sewage amongst other things get leaked into the bay. It is large enough that this contaminated water does not filter out easily with the tides. Again I am in this water repeatedly.
Myself and another team member have gotten a strange rash. Both of us have described the rash adequately to one another. My teammate had a cut on his leg. He is experiencing the rash at the site of the cut. I unfortunately am experiencing it on the base of my penis. I too had open wound there though, an ingrown hair which I popped like a zit. This red bump did not heal as it normally did but got more red, then a little larger then shorty there after I noticed the rash start. At this time I also noticed a swollen lymph node in my groin.
You can imagine my panic after I had sex with a new woman I'm dating 12 days prior to this. Swollen node, rash / sores on my penis, I freaked out. Sound like gential herpes to me! I spoke with a physician friend and he said it didn't sound like genital herpes to him. I went immediately to an urgent care clinic and got tested. They took a swab of the rash / sore and are testing. Results will be out in 3 days. The doctor also stated that it didn't look like a example of "classic gential herpes." He also said that if he thought it was herpes he'd perscribe medication immediately. Which he did not. I told my sexual partner that I was tested and she, now nervous, states that she has never had herpes. Or at least to her knowledge. These are 3 positives I'm hoping for a negative result on tests of course. 1. Similar rash on teammate stemming from open wound and exposure to possible contaminated water 2. doctor's don't think it's GH 3. Partner has no history
NOW, with all that said the rash / sores are pimple like, or at least started that way. Well there is one main affected area (all red and crusty) and two satellite pimple like bumps. They burst very easily and are watery / oozing. This is clear liquid. The scabbing that immediatly follows after it drys is kind of yellow in color. The area maybe the size of a dime now is slightly red and raised. There is a crusty appearance and my node is still swollen. I had a low grade fever as well. There is little or no real pain or burning involved but I have felt something there.
So it's hard for me to guess what this is, if not GH what is this? How do I treat it? Do I see another physician if my results are negative? Does this sound like GH to you?
In closing I did some research on contaminated water. Rashes are on all documentation I discovered. Here is a sample. "Effects of Sewage the effects of contaminated water on human health. Infected Cuts or Rashes: look swollen, red, and may have a thick yellowish discharge called pus. There is usually a lot of pain at the site of the rash or cut. Sometimes the infection causes a fever. Of note, eyes and ears can be infected in the same way."
What do you think? GH or otherwise? If otherwise how would I treat this?
Myself and another team member have gotten a strange rash. Both of us have described the rash adequately to one another. My teammate had a cut on his leg. He is experiencing the rash at the site of the cut. I unfortunately am experiencing it on the base of my penis. I too had open wound there though, an ingrown hair which I popped like a zit. This red bump did not heal as it normally did but got more red, then a little larger then shorty there after I noticed the rash start. At this time I also noticed a swollen lymph node in my groin.
You can imagine my panic after I had sex with a new woman I'm dating 12 days prior to this. Swollen node, rash / sores on my penis, I freaked out. Sound like gential herpes to me! I spoke with a physician friend and he said it didn't sound like genital herpes to him. I went immediately to an urgent care clinic and got tested. They took a swab of the rash / sore and are testing. Results will be out in 3 days. The doctor also stated that it didn't look like a example of "classic gential herpes." He also said that if he thought it was herpes he'd perscribe medication immediately. Which he did not. I told my sexual partner that I was tested and she, now nervous, states that she has never had herpes. Or at least to her knowledge. These are 3 positives I'm hoping for a negative result on tests of course. 1. Similar rash on teammate stemming from open wound and exposure to possible contaminated water 2. doctor's don't think it's GH 3. Partner has no history
NOW, with all that said the rash / sores are pimple like, or at least started that way. Well there is one main affected area (all red and crusty) and two satellite pimple like bumps. They burst very easily and are watery / oozing. This is clear liquid. The scabbing that immediatly follows after it drys is kind of yellow in color. The area maybe the size of a dime now is slightly red and raised. There is a crusty appearance and my node is still swollen. I had a low grade fever as well. There is little or no real pain or burning involved but I have felt something there.
So it's hard for me to guess what this is, if not GH what is this? How do I treat it? Do I see another physician if my results are negative? Does this sound like GH to you?
In closing I did some research on contaminated water. Rashes are on all documentation I discovered. Here is a sample. "Effects of Sewage the effects of contaminated water on human health. Infected Cuts or Rashes: look swollen, red, and may have a thick yellowish discharge called pus. There is usually a lot of pain at the site of the rash or cut. Sometimes the infection causes a fever. Of note, eyes and ears can be infected in the same way."
What do you think? GH or otherwise? If otherwise how would I treat this?
crusting, yellowy, drying up.....I have two other tests coming. Another culture I had done and bloodwork. I'm worried about two partners. One recent a new girl I've been seeing and my ex from 2.5 months ago. If HSV pos, hard to say who where and what. Bloodwork will hopefully confirm this.
crusting, yellowy, drying up.....I have two other tests coming. Another culture I had done and bloodwork. I'm worried about two partners. One recent a new girl I've been seeing and my ex from 2.5 months ago. If HSV pos, hard to say who where and what. Bloodwork will hopefully confirm this.
I actually live in SAN DIEGO, not that it matters, but anyways do you think it is your current partner that affected you or someone else? Are the bumps still present...when I had inflamed hair follicles I had red bumps stay on my groin...for about one full month until they went away...Whats happening to the sores...?
No I tested positive for HSV 2. So that's what it looks like I have. But again, I don't know if there a false positive or what. So many things pointed elsewhere but I guess either scenario is possible. And the blister rupture on their own. Only a couple though.
AND my mother tells me today that I've never had chickenpox, related or misdiagnosed as herepes? I severely doubt it, but with a culture I wonder. I need chickenpox vaccination as well now?
I can't really comment on whether or not you need chickenpox vaccinations, but that would not affect the accuracy of your HSV culture.
Did the doc tell you if you have HSV1 or 2? The difference is meaningful. I suggest you have a look in the STD section of this site, it has a lot of useful information there. Look through the herpes archive.
Did the doc tell you if you have HSV1 or 2? The difference is meaningful. I suggest you have a look in the STD section of this site, it has a lot of useful information there. Look through the herpes archive.
Waterguy, Did you test positive for herpes 2? or was it inflamed hair follicles. I had quite a few red bumps on the base of my penis...in my pubic hair, but I went to the derm, and he advised me it was inflamed hair follicles. Considering you swim and wear a bathing suit I would suspect you have inflamed hair follicles. The thing that concerns me is..the fact your getting oozing blisters once the rash or bumps are popped. Are they naturally opening up into blisters, or are you causing them to rupture? Also are the bumps "on top of the skin" versus a volcanic...incorporated bump in the skin?? thats important to know.
Tested "abnormal" or positive for HSV 2. Shell culture test. Again this test has no false positives right?
based on your symptoms, I think you should rely on the test. If another similar lesion surfaces, you could have that recultured also.
The other thing you could do is have a herpeselect blood test in 3 months time.
As a side-note: if you wanted to confirm whether you contracted this recently you should have a blood test now. If the infection is recent it will most likely come back negative. A postive test now would suggest you have had it for some time, at least a few months.
Then in 3 months time you can test again.
Anyways, try not to worry about it too much. Herpes just isn't that big of a deal.
The other thing you could do is have a herpeselect blood test in 3 months time.
As a side-note: if you wanted to confirm whether you contracted this recently you should have a blood test now. If the infection is recent it will most likely come back negative. A postive test now would suggest you have had it for some time, at least a few months.
Then in 3 months time you can test again.
Anyways, try not to worry about it too much. Herpes just isn't that big of a deal.
I tested positive on the culture. How accurate is this test? Is it worth taking again? I heard it is only 94% accurate? Is this correct? Should I be tested again and is there a full proof test? Maybe I am in denial?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
To be honest, I think you have an infected hair follicle (bacterial, not herpes), and I think that of it's due to anything, it's the swimsuit you wear, not the contaminated water. My advice is to apply an antibiotic ointment like bacitracin or neosporin and that you leave the area alone until the tests are back. If bacteria are the cause, your doctor may want to prescribe an oral antibiotic. I assume the doctor did a bacterial as well as a viral culture. If not, he can do one when you see him again.
No need to panic, I think.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
No need to panic, I think.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
Also to further clarify. The ingrown hair, once "popped" was a truely an open sore. Scab and all. I popped it repeatedly trying to get the hair out. I did really irriatate the area and it was really open. Also this rash did start from that very point and there is still a red spot exactly where this all began.
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