How did I contract herpes?

[Persevere]

I recently saw a dermatologist to confirm if a rash of ulcers on my left buttocks was herpes simplex.

I had seen two doctors before that, one believed it to be herpes simplex and the other believed it was herpes zoster.

The dermatologist believes it is herpes simplex 2.

What I am wondering is how I could have possibly contracted HSV-2...

A few reasons why I wonder this:

-This is my first outbreak, so I must have contracted it within the past year.

-Within the past year I have only slept with 2 girls.  Both of whom have never experienced symptoms of Herpes and both of whom have been tested, specifically for herpes, with negative results.  I am the only man they have slept with within the past year and they have no reason to lie to me.  If they had it, wouldn't they have anti-bodies by now?

-The doctor said I may have contracted it when I was young or genetically from my parents.  Neither of my parents have HSV-2.  This is my first outbreak and it appeared in a small area on my left butt cheek.  I can think of no other instance that could have given me this.

-I have always used a condom during sexual intercourse.  ALWAYS.

-Beyond this, I can guarantee that every girl I have slept with has been negative for STD's.  For personal reasons I would rather not reveal why I know this but it is true.

A few things I'm wondering about.  The dermatologist was Japanese (I live in Japan), and he told me several things that I don't understand.

*It can't be herpes zoster because herpes zoster covers a larger area and usually spreads down the leg.

*Since it was on my buttocks, it was not an STD(?).  I was under the impression that HSV-2 was an STD in every instance...

*I am only contagious when I have an active outbreak.  He said I didn't have to worry about asymptomatic shedding(?).  But I thought this was a reason why herpes spread so easily...

*He told me there is no accurate tests for herpes and it would be another 9 months until antibodies showed up in my system (I had recently had a bloodtest that came out negative for herpes).

Can anyone explain this to me?  Because I don't understand at all...

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.

Herpes also presents with red itchy blisters which scab over. Herpes simplex is most easily transmitted by direct contact with a lesion or the body fluid of an infected individual. Transmission may also occur through skin-to-skin contact during periods of asymptomatic shedding.

The only way of ruling it out 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.


On the other hand herpes zoster is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe.Diagnosis is by clinical examination, Tsanck smear, VZV-specific IgM antibody in blood and polymerase chain reaction for VZV DNA.

I sincerely advise you to consult a dermatologist and get a polymerase chain reaction test done for both s that exact diagnosis can be confirmed and treatment started.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.

[Persevere]

Thanks for your response, but that wasn't my question.  I know what herpes simplex is.

I saw a dermatologist and he believes I have herpes simplex.  So I no longer believe it's herpes zoster.

My question is clarification and determination.  He said it's not an STD since it's on my buttocks and probably came out due to stress.  I made sure he understood it was my first outbreak.  What does he mean it's not an STD? What does this mean?!  I don't understand.

He said I am only contagious when there are fresh ulcers, is this true?

None of my previous sexual partners have herpes (they were all tested both recently and in the past).  So how could I have contracted it?  Some toilet seats where I work are heated, would that allow the herpes virus to survive long enough to spread?  It would explain why it first showed up on my buttocks and no where else.

I can't think of any other way I could have contracted it...