Herpes

Recently my wife was diagnosed with genital herpes. We have been together for 13 years and she states she has always been faithful. She was diagnosed with a skin culture but her blood test came back negative. I also took a blood test and came back negative and have had no signs of it on my skin. Is it possible
that she could have had HS2 for over 13 years without ever having any signs of it? Or maybe the test was wrong? It has been six months since she got it and it hasn't returned. It presented itself on her buttock and I read that shingles can look a lot like HS2  
             Heart broke

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

How sure was the herpes diagnosis?  And how reliable were the blood tests?  If your wife had a positive herpes culture, then she has herpes.  But sometimes doctors diagnose herpes by appearance, and they aren't always right.  The best way to be sure if that was the case is to have a reliable herpes 2 blood test several weeks after the episode.  A negative test at that point is very strong evidence that it was not herpes.  Even if it is, she may have contracted it many years ago, because herpes can be latent for years before recurring.  Before you decide your heart is broke, you should check these matters out.  You may well find out you don't have to.

Take care.  Please let me know what you find.

Dr. Rockoff