Hepres or some other disease

I have a recurring problem with my skin. It started this time with looses and then fever. The local doctor suggested it was viral fever. Along with fever the first two days i had red itchy palm and lower side of the feet. The areas became really red and i took a drug called cetrizine which cured it. Later there was like small rashes which showed up on the lower side of my penis with ulcers in my mouth and lips. Upper center and lower left side of the lips. The rash on the lower side of the penis broke into open sores which have been giving out a kind of smelly pus. i have tried everything to keep them dry but no success. The lip ulcers have been hurting a lot as well.
I have not been in contact of intercourse except oral sex but that too not recently. I am afraid i might be sufferring from herpes or something. The same thing happened a month ago when i flew 30 hrs to Rio De Janerio from India. That time i thought it was just a heat rash as i perspire a lot in that area even normally.

Could you please tell me what it could be.

Thanks i advance.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
There are some possibilities all of which need to be ruled out. These possibilities include herpes, cutaneous syphilis, bullous lichen sclerosus and mucosal pemphogoid(rare chronic disease involving blistering and scarring of the mucous membranes).

Investigations for syphilis include Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) and  rapid plasma reagin (RPR). The only way of ruling out herpes is by getting yourself tested for genital herpes. Laboratory tests include: culture of the virus, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) studies to detect virus, skin biopsy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test for presence of viral DNA. I sincerely advise you to consult a dermatologist and get it ruled out.

I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.