Is this Herpes

[pimphomies]

Hi Doctor,

I'm actually asking this on behalf of my gf; she's reluctant to seek advice for everything. Anyhow, My gf recently went to study abroad and she ended up getting Chiggers in the rain forest. she got them all over, mostly on her stomach, groin area, and butt. They went away but since then, after a few months, she will get some reoccurring looking bug bits on her body. They usually appear on her stomach, butt, and back. Doesn't extend exactly to the groin area, but one bite may appear to be in the area. These are isolate bumps meaning there aren't clusters. Just one her and there, and the odd part is their locations. My question is, is this possibly herpes? this didn't start happening until after she got chiggers, and usually she doesn't get more than 10 bumps randomly on her body. (small looking bug bites). I know there isn't a whole lot to go off of, but my knowledge of herpes tell me that they burst easily, and generally in clusters. These don't burst, and is only one all by itself. In all my times with her, we have never done sexual acts that involve those locations.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Perhaps you missed my answer -please read it again.  There is no way to tell from your description is herpes or not.  As I told you, the only way to know if her genital lesions are HSV is with testing.  HSV does not cause lesions spread over the body in the manner you describe in normal persons (i.e. those who are not profoundly immunosuppressed).  EWH

[pimphomies]

p.s. these aren't lesion in the sense that they are open wonds/bust open. they are raised bumps, that come and go. No busting in order for them to go away. Almost like heat bumps. Now you see them, now you don't (several weeks later) with no busting or anything

[pimphomies]

I guess my follow is. Does this sound like HSV (small, bug bite type things on her stomach, waistline area, extending to her butt and a total of 5-10 total on her body, spread out. No itching, or hurting. Just looks of bug bites). Thanks. She knows I'm asking for her. She just has a care free approach to things(like she would have never went to doctor and found out she had yeast if i didnt beg her to out of concern for her)

[Edward W Hook, MD]

My first advice is not to get in the middle of things relating to health care, and particularly sexual health issues with your GF. If you are concerned or your sake, tell her and ask her to get evaluated. If your concern is only for her, then advise her to get checked and then she will or will not.

You are correct, there is not much to go on here. I am not a specialist in tropical medicine and cannot tell you whether chiggers or other such organisms cause recurring lesions.  I don't think they do although there are some tropically acquired diseases which do have a tendency to recur.  I would imagine they could occur anywhere.

As far as HSV is concerned, and indeed, HSV should always be a concern with recurring genital lesions, the only definitive test is a culture or, better yet, a PCR test taken ASAP after the lesion appears. While a negative test is not a total guarantee that the lesion is not HSV, it is strongly suggestive and once the lesion has been tested 2-3 times one can have a high degree of confidence that it is not HSV.

I hope these comments are helpful to you(and perhaps her).  EWH

[pimphomies]

One last thing, Just the other day she was diagnosed with a yeast infection after continuous pain during intercourse. The doctor said everything else looked fine, but is running std test as well. I don't know if they has anything to do with each other. She was in ecuador in Feb when this happen, the yeast infection was diagnosed two days ago.