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Acne, folliculitis, herpes...don't know what to think despite two negative blood tests.
I posted on Ms. Warren's forum about two months ago about an episode of unprotected sex I had with a girl who was 16 at the time whom I had lost my virginity to. Recently I read an article online that stated that pimples in the genital area could be a symptom of a number of STDs, including herpes. Ever since then I've been looking back on a number of things that I had noticed in my genital area within the past year that I had initially wrote off as non herpes related and started wondering if they could have been herpes related after all. They are (in chronological order):
1) A slight discomfort while passing urine. Began 5 months after I had sex and lasted 1.5 to 2 weeks. Was examined by my doc and he said he saw nothing abnormal with my penis (no broken skin around the pee-hole where the discomfort was). Urine sample tested gon/chlam negative. No lesions.
2) Red area on the underside of my penis shaft. Looked closely and saw what appeared to be a blackhead, and sure enough it popped just like a blackhead.
3) A reddish-pink blemish looking area I saw on the rim of my penis head toward the tip which was why I posted to Terri. She said I had nothing to worry about.
4) What looked to be a pimple on the shaft that oozed white pus after squeezing it, just like a regular pimple.
5) A large white bump that showed up where the scrotum and the shaft meet. When I pinched it it felt like a firm ball inside of the skin between my fingers. Couldn't pop it, but eventually drew a little blood and drainage after repeated attempts.
6) And most recently, like #4, what appeared to be a pimple, with the same white pus and everything once again on the shaft of my penis.
Would also like to add that each pimple/bump/blackhead appeared one at a time rather than in clusters and that I have never had the "classic" herpes symptoms (blisters, open sores, etc). As I mentioned in the title all blood tests have been negative (neg. biokit at 7 months and neg. captia igg hsv2 at 9 months).
1) A slight discomfort while passing urine. Began 5 months after I had sex and lasted 1.5 to 2 weeks. Was examined by my doc and he said he saw nothing abnormal with my penis (no broken skin around the pee-hole where the discomfort was). Urine sample tested gon/chlam negative. No lesions.
2) Red area on the underside of my penis shaft. Looked closely and saw what appeared to be a blackhead, and sure enough it popped just like a blackhead.
3) A reddish-pink blemish looking area I saw on the rim of my penis head toward the tip which was why I posted to Terri. She said I had nothing to worry about.
4) What looked to be a pimple on the shaft that oozed white pus after squeezing it, just like a regular pimple.
5) A large white bump that showed up where the scrotum and the shaft meet. When I pinched it it felt like a firm ball inside of the skin between my fingers. Couldn't pop it, but eventually drew a little blood and drainage after repeated attempts.
6) And most recently, like #4, what appeared to be a pimple, with the same white pus and everything once again on the shaft of my penis.
Would also like to add that each pimple/bump/blackhead appeared one at a time rather than in clusters and that I have never had the "classic" herpes symptoms (blisters, open sores, etc). As I mentioned in the title all blood tests have been negative (neg. biokit at 7 months and neg. captia igg hsv2 at 9 months).
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1) Is the information true? Maybe. But be careful what you read, and also put what you read in context. As for an "online article that stated that pimples in the genital area (not blisters or other lesions mistaken as pimples, but actual pimples) could be indicators of a number of STDs including herpes": Only rarely. People don't understand the entire business about atypical herpes. Here's how it works.
Positive blood test for HSV-2 (surprise!). "But I have no symptoms, Doc." Doc: "Have you ever had periodic genital sores, itching, pimples, etc?" Reply: "Well, sure. I thought they were just pimples." Doc: "If it happens again, take a closer look and tell me what you see." When it happens, it is an absolutely typical herpes outbreak, usually with blisters that become sores then heal with scabs.
The point is that typical pimples, itching without sores, and things like that simply are not herpes symptoms -- they are mistaken for such when someone isn't really thinking about it, and only in retrospect. Here are some clues about herpes versus pimples and folliculitis. Pimples are scattered, but recurrent herpes lesions are always in the exact same place (within an inch or so) every time. Pimples occur on both sides of the body's midline; herpes is always on one side or the other, and the same side every time. Pimple-like lesions due to folliculitis have a hair emanating from the center; herpes lesions are not associated with hairs. Finally, pimples are deeper lesions whereas HSV lesions usually are superficial; think of pimples as starting "in" the skin and herpes lesions as being "on" the skin. There are exceptions, and by itself none of these clues is absolute. However, the pattern is usually very consistent. I'll bet that if you think about it, what you have had goes along with pimples/folliculitis much more than herpes. Combine that with the negative blood test, and for practical purposes herpes is not a possible explanation for your problem.
2) That you had chlamydia once is pretty much irrelevant.
3) See no. 1.
4) Probably a sebaceous cyst or some other skin lesion. It doesn't sound at all like herpes. See no. 1.
5) Western blot testing is not intended to check up on negative HSV blood test results. In fact, WB misses more HSV antibodies than the standard ELISA. The main use of WB is to check a positive ELISA that doesn't seem to make sense, not to check up on negative results.
You seem to be working quite hard to prove to me (and to yourself) that you have herpes. Terri and I are trying to reassure you that you don't. Why are you arguing with it? Please accept the good news that you don't have it and move on.
That will be all for this thread.
Positive blood test for HSV-2 (surprise!). "But I have no symptoms, Doc." Doc: "Have you ever had periodic genital sores, itching, pimples, etc?" Reply: "Well, sure. I thought they were just pimples." Doc: "If it happens again, take a closer look and tell me what you see." When it happens, it is an absolutely typical herpes outbreak, usually with blisters that become sores then heal with scabs.
The point is that typical pimples, itching without sores, and things like that simply are not herpes symptoms -- they are mistaken for such when someone isn't really thinking about it, and only in retrospect. Here are some clues about herpes versus pimples and folliculitis. Pimples are scattered, but recurrent herpes lesions are always in the exact same place (within an inch or so) every time. Pimples occur on both sides of the body's midline; herpes is always on one side or the other, and the same side every time. Pimple-like lesions due to folliculitis have a hair emanating from the center; herpes lesions are not associated with hairs. Finally, pimples are deeper lesions whereas HSV lesions usually are superficial; think of pimples as starting "in" the skin and herpes lesions as being "on" the skin. There are exceptions, and by itself none of these clues is absolute. However, the pattern is usually very consistent. I'll bet that if you think about it, what you have had goes along with pimples/folliculitis much more than herpes. Combine that with the negative blood test, and for practical purposes herpes is not a possible explanation for your problem.
2) That you had chlamydia once is pretty much irrelevant.
3) See no. 1.
4) Probably a sebaceous cyst or some other skin lesion. It doesn't sound at all like herpes. See no. 1.
5) Western blot testing is not intended to check up on negative HSV blood test results. In fact, WB misses more HSV antibodies than the standard ELISA. The main use of WB is to check a positive ELISA that doesn't seem to make sense, not to check up on negative results.
You seem to be working quite hard to prove to me (and to yourself) that you have herpes. Terri and I are trying to reassure you that you don't. Why are you arguing with it? Please accept the good news that you don't have it and move on.
That will be all for this thread.
Thank you for the prompt response. I don't want to give the wrong idea, I did value Terri's advice and it did put my mind at ease but like I said I read that online article that stated that pimples in the genital area (not blisters or other lesions mistaken as pimples, but actual pimples) could be indicators of a number of STDs including herpes and I started thinking well maybe I didn't give her enough information that could have possibly changed her assessment. What I also didn't tell her is that this sexual encounter led to chlamydia (I was tested, diagnosed, and treated) not because I wanted to side step it but because I couldn't fit it into my original question and after she assured me I could put my herpes fears to rest I just glossed over it.
I have a few more specific questions and then I feel like I can put this behind me for good.
1) Is the information I read in the article I described to you true or not?
2) Does the fact that I caught chlamydia change your assessment?
3) Are herpes lesions easy to pop/break when you apply pressure? And can they behave like pimples and blackheads (single pustules that ooze white when you squeeze them?)
4) As for symptom #5 do you have any ideas as to what that could have been. My first guess was folliculitis but I can't remember ever having folliculitis so I don't have much of a reference point. I also read that a number of bacteria as well as viruses can cause an inflammation of the hair follicule can HSV2 cause such an inflammation and present itself as folliculitis?
5) Kind of redundant, I know but bear with me. In light of all these "symptoms" would further testing be necessary, namely a WB?
Once again, thank you for everything.
I have a few more specific questions and then I feel like I can put this behind me for good.
1) Is the information I read in the article I described to you true or not?
2) Does the fact that I caught chlamydia change your assessment?
3) Are herpes lesions easy to pop/break when you apply pressure? And can they behave like pimples and blackheads (single pustules that ooze white when you squeeze them?)
4) As for symptom #5 do you have any ideas as to what that could have been. My first guess was folliculitis but I can't remember ever having folliculitis so I don't have much of a reference point. I also read that a number of bacteria as well as viruses can cause an inflammation of the hair follicule can HSV2 cause such an inflammation and present itself as folliculitis?
5) Kind of redundant, I know but bear with me. In light of all these "symptoms" would further testing be necessary, namely a WB?
Once again, thank you for everything.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks, but I had already looked it up before responding above. As I said, I agree exactly with Terri's response.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
You were reassured about the same question on the MedHelp herpes forum a couple of months ago. I agree with Terri Warren's response. (At the time, you seemed to accept her reassurance. What happened in the meantime?) The bottom line is that when both symptoms are atypical for herpes, as yours are, AND the blood tests are negative, the blood test results almost always are reliable. For practical purposes, the odds are zero that someone would have HSV-2 with both symptoms that don't suggest herpes AND negative blood test results.
To the specific symptoms, none of the ones you list suggests herpes as a likely explanation. Please rely on the test results. You don't have HSV-2.
Regards-- HHH, MD
You were reassured about the same question on the MedHelp herpes forum a couple of months ago. I agree with Terri Warren's response. (At the time, you seemed to accept her reassurance. What happened in the meantime?) The bottom line is that when both symptoms are atypical for herpes, as yours are, AND the blood tests are negative, the blood test results almost always are reliable. For practical purposes, the odds are zero that someone would have HSV-2 with both symptoms that don't suggest herpes AND negative blood test results.
To the specific symptoms, none of the ones you list suggests herpes as a likely explanation. Please rely on the test results. You don't have HSV-2.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Here is my original post on the Herpes forum:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Possible-HSV-2-Outbreak/show/1022687?personal_page_id=647558&post_id=post_4758902
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Herpes/Possible-HSV-2-Outbreak/show/1022687?personal_page_id=647558&post_id=post_4758902
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
