Possibility of aquiring HSV-2 through a finger/hand

[bohdi50]

Doctor, I had a few questions about aquiring HSV-2 through a finger.  As with many people who ask a question on your forum, I am a worrier who made a poor decision.
   On a Saturday night, 16 days ago, I fooled around with a woman using only my finger. I know it sounds horrible, but this same woman had sex with a friend of mine about a half hour before.  After talking with them a few days later, I found out he did not use a condom.
   Being the worrier I am, I am very scared I could have aquired HSV-2 through my finger from either her or from him, since he slept with her not long before I fooled around with her.
   When I approached them seperately, they both said they have been tested before and were negative.  They did, however, get tested again about four days after the incident and were HSV-2 negative with the HerpeSelect IgG blood test. I, using the BioKIT Rapid test (15 days later), was negative as well. I took that test twice that day to be sure.  I understand these tests have a seroconversion period, which is what keeps me scared.  So, here are my questions:

1) If I were to be infected with HSV-2, would I see any skin changes? I know many people will have an outbreak, but research says many will have "little or no symptoms." Is that because they don't think about it and might not notice, or can some people really have ZERO symptoms?

2)How common, or easy, is it to get HSV-2 through the skin of the finger/hand?

3) How good of an indicator is a negative BioKIT test after 15 days of an incident?

4) Let's say he was positive, b/c within the seroconversion window (I know he is very sexually active), and was shedding the virus, would it still be "alive" and able to get picked up after 30 min inside of her?

   Lastly, I talked to her this morning and she has had no symptoms at all or any physical changes since the incident.
   I know I sound like a mental case, however, I do appreciate the time you took to read this. I hope to hear from you soon.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Herpes of the finger is called whitlow.  It's usually seen in dentists and other people whose jobs call for sticking their fingers into people's mouths.  It manifests itself as severe swelling and redness of the tip of the finger.  Doesn't sound as though you've got anything like that.  (Keep in mind that you're worried that you got this from a specific encounter 2 weeks ago, so we're not talking about just seroconversion but actual first-exposure infection.  That would be whitlow, which you obviously don't have.)

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[sparkeler]

Herpes has to be "massaged" in to the skin.  Usually genital herpes is transmitted through penetration, i.e., vaginal or anal sex.  You cannot realistically transmit an std from hand to genital contact.

[oops758]

A related discussion, scared was started.