Thank you for all your reassurance
Makes no difference in my opinion or advice. Given the combination of symptoms plus test results, I would bet my house against your having herpes. And negative HIV tests are always reliable after 6 weeks.
I didn't want to drone on about my symptoms. I don’t if they would change your advice. During my encounter I got a fingernail cut around my anus prior to protected vaginal penetration, (I’m a male) that has remained red and extremely uncomfortable despite applying Nystatin and Triamcinolone acetonide cream that was prescribed by my Doctor. I was worried the cut around my anus could have been an opening for HSV or HIV. Is this flawed thinking?? I've read so many conflicting window periods. Can I rely on the negative results of the HIV test on both dates? Thank you once again.
Your symptoms conceivably could have been due to an initial HSV infection, but the absence of genital sores/blisters is against it. It is rare to have initial herpes that causes lymph node inflammation (which could go along with groin pain) without also having overt sores. However, you don't say your sex. If you are a woman, it is possible you had internal (vaginal, cervical) lesions that you could not feel. But on balance, most likely that episode wasn't due to herpes or any other STD, and you dind't necessarily catch it during the sexual encounter you describe.
Second, you can be pretty sure the second HSV-2 result is the accurate one. The numerical values suggest the lab used the HerpeSelect test. If so, the initial ELISA ratio of 1.58 was quite low and even without repeat testing would be suspicious for a false positive result. And most people with new HSV-2 infections would have positive HerpeSelect results within 2 months.
So combining the atypical symptoms for herpes plus your test results, you can be quite certain you didn't acqure HSV during that exposure. But if you want to nail it down with 100% certainty, you could have yet another blood test. If you do that, wait until 4 months, ie mid-November. In the meantime, don't worry about this; probably you are home free.
Good luck-- HHH, MD