Could I have contract Herpes 1 or 2?

On Sept 17, I had sex with a random girl in Europe.  It was a brief encounter, where both oral and sex for me involved a condom.  We used lubrication for the sex.  The condom came down almost to the base, but perhaps a 1" part of my penis and the top of my testicles were exposed to contact her vagina.

Around 2 days after that encounter, while in Europe, I had some irritation around the base of my penis and a sensation in the tip of my penis.  The itching at the base may have been from lots of walking around Europe, sweating, and not being able to wash clothes as frequently as I'd like.  It went away a few days later.  The irritation inside my penis at the tip lasted for maybe a week or 2.

I went to the doctor about a month after this event for a full blood test.  All was negative.  HSV2 was about 0.18.  I also went to a urologist who didn't think anything was wrong.  I haven't had any visual signs on the area of exposure.  Earlier this week I had 2 pimple like bumps appear below my testicles on the skin between my testes and anus.  The one was a big red hard one, like pimples I sometimes I get on my back.  They didn't itch, but they hurt when clothing rubbed them.  They went away around 5 days later.  The irritation is also back in the tip of my penis.  It's like a minor aching inside my urethra, for the top 20% of my penis.  If I push through my boxers to my urethra, the irritation gets worse.  

Do these seem like signs for Herpes?  The urologist gave me a standard AB script to fight anything like Chlamydia when I saw him.  It's been 2 months and I plan on another full blood test when I hit the 3 month mark.

Thanks in advance!

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Some of the time issue around time to make antibody involves one's HSV 1 status.  If you are HSV 1 positive, you will likely take a little more time to make HSV 2 antibody if you are infected.  By 3 weeks from infection, about 50% of people who are going to become positive will have done so, by 6 weeks about 70% and by 4 months, most everyone.  The test that you take now will be quite accurate, I believe, though not 100% just now.  However, your symptoms don't sound herpetic to me,.  If your HSV 2 test is negative this time, you may want to revisit your urologist if you continue to have urethral pain.
Terri

[rodharley]

How long does it usually take for a response?  I'm a little concerned since I've been having a kind of painful feeling through my urethra.  It doesn't burn when I urinate, but it's kind of a dull pain through my urethra that isn't going away.  I drew blood again today for everything, waiting on results.  I have a urologist appt on Monday.

[rodharley]

Thank you for the reply.  My 2nd test at 8 weeks post exposure shows HSV2 at 0.21.  What do you think of this result?  My first one was 0.18 at 3 weeks.  Should I be worried about the slight increase?  I never had any signs of HSV 1, but I never tested for it.  Is it safe to assume I'm ok?  I will test again at 3 months.  

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

It really isn't an increase.  The values always vary, depending upon the value of the control that it is run against.  This change is not significant.  Are you certain you weren't also tested for HSV 1?  It is pretty routine to test for both at the same time.  Your value at 8 weeks is good, for sure.  If you are HSV 1 negative, it is even more indicative that you will stay negative.

Terri

[rodharley]

That's good news.  Yes, they only tested for IGG HSV 2.  They didn't test for 1.  I had to insist on HSV2, because the doctor really wasn't concerned about it.  She was more concerned about all the other STDs.  

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Interesting.  Well, your results are certainly negative at this time, so that's good.

Terri