Herpes outbreak after five years?

[jerseygirl01]

I was diagnosed with HSV2 five years ago and have had absolutely no symptoms or outbreaks since my first mild outbreak. I was tested about 2 years ago and blood tests came back negative for everything. Recently, I noticed two small bumps on my pubic hair area that looked and itched like mosquito bites. I didn't think much of it, I thought maybe they were some kind of bites or maybe just irritation from shaving. A few days later (and after having unprotected sex with my boyfriend of 3 years), one of the bumps turned into a little cluster of about 4 small, red bump/blisters....I picked the other bump a few days prior and it bled a little bit but then went away completely. I shaved the area and i'm not sure if that could've caused the bump to spread or get irritated somehow. It was a few days after noticing the bump that i shaved, and then a few days after that it seemed to turn into a group of blisters. I have been freaking out about this, holding on to any type of hope I possibly can that it is something other than a recurring herpes outbreak. This is my worst nightmare. I read that herpes blisters do not usually have hair but i'm wondering how true that is. The blisters that I still have on me have hair around them and small hairs coming out of them, but they don't look like pimples and they don't look like folliculitis (which I researched intensely!). My boyfriend has not ever had any symptoms of herpes since we've been together and he has not had any symptoms since we had sex (vaginal and oral) about a week ago. I don't know what to think.

[Fleetwood20]

Yes this could be something other than a herpes lesion. Your description of the cluster of blisters though has some alignment.

I think I see where you are going with your thinking now.

Note that apart from when the patch and blisters are present you are not necessarily any more (or less) infectious just before or just after an outbreak than at other times.

Viral shedding probably poses a greater risk as you do not know it is there. Outbreaks are a clear sign and if they are avoided then the risk associated with there being an outbreak is often readily avoided.

Were you aware of this very low chance of transmission when you have no symptoms? If you avoided the outbreak (meaning as little as 6-12 hours before it emerged) then you most probably did not elevate the underlying risk.

[jerseygirl01]

Okay..thanks, I will definitely look into that but I am still wondering if there is any chance at all that the bumps could be something besides herpes. As i said, one of the bumps went away after I picked it--without turning into a blister or anything...is that possible for a herpes sore? The other, however, did go from one bump to a cluster of bumps and then turned into a little cluster of blisters. All of them in the pubic hair region. They are healing now. My boyfriend still shows no signs or symptoms.

[Fleetwood20]

Did you explicitly ask for herpes testing though as I don't think Planned Parenthood would test for herpes otherwise. I believe many will then tell you they only swab lesions.

A positive swab is conclusive, but often not typed at all. It would seem beneficial to get a blood test for IgG antibodies, type specific for HSV1 and HSV2. This will make you more aware of your status.

[jerseygirl01]

Unfortunately, I don't know the exact results. The first time, HSV was visually confirmed and confirmed by a swab test. I do not know the results of the more recent blood test. They just told me i was "negative for everything." I went to Planned Parenthood both times.

[Fleetwood20]

A lot to work through here so let's get the first critical pieces out of the way.

How exactly were you diagnosed with HSV2 in the first instance? What were the swab or blood test results at that time.

A couple of years afterwards you refer to negative HSV tests. What were the exact results for IgG antibodies for HSV1 and HSV2?