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Can a Tzanck test mistake molloscum contagiosum for Herpes?
Over the last month, I've developed a bunch of small, red bumps with white heads that eventually scab over. Many pieces of evidence make me think (and I hope) that it's molloscum contagiosum and not herpes. First, they haven't drained any liquid that I've noticed, and I've kept a pretty close eye on them. They just scab over after reaching the white head stage. Second, they haven't been painful or itchy at all. Third, the only unprotected sex I've had in the last several months was one instance of oral sex about 3 or 4 weeks ago. (This timeline makes me suspect it's not herpes). Fourth, I've had cold sores before, which I read makes me less likely to contract genital herpes. Fifth, I think they've lasted at least 3 or 4 weeks now--herpes outbreaks are usually shorter than this, I read. Sixth, I never had anything like chicken pox as a kid--I think molloscum is a related virus, so not getting chicken pox as a kid might make me more likely to get molloscum now? Seventh, based on the pictures I've seen online, when herpes sores burst, they leave a sort of indentation or "hole" in the skin before scabbing. I haven't seen anything like that--they just go straight from looking like elevated white heads to an elevated scab.
Still, my primary care doctor suspected herpes and swabbed them for a viral culture. Now I am worried that this viral culture will give me a false positive for herpes. I've read that "Tzanck tests" (I think that's the same thing as a viral culture swab) can't distinguish between different types of herpes or between different viruses in general and that the tests only have a 50-70% accuracy rate (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/herpes-simplex/diagnosis.html). Am I right to be worried about this? If I get a positive result for herpes, might it still be molloscum and not herpes?
Still, my primary care doctor suspected herpes and swabbed them for a viral culture. Now I am worried that this viral culture will give me a false positive for herpes. I've read that "Tzanck tests" (I think that's the same thing as a viral culture swab) can't distinguish between different types of herpes or between different viruses in general and that the tests only have a 50-70% accuracy rate (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/herpes-simplex/diagnosis.html). Am I right to be worried about this? If I get a positive result for herpes, might it still be molloscum and not herpes?
Hi, neither herpes nor MC have white heads and the distingushing feature about MC is a dent in the middle.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
