Herpes

[todd4385]

Hi 5 days ago I received a hand job from a stripper and did finger her as well and am now feeling a bit sick with potential swollen glands.  My questions are the following:

- would I have flu like symptoms without the lesions for an initial outbreak?
- would the lesions be pretty apparent to me?  There are some darker spots on my penis but they do not look like lesions or blisters I've seen online.  Do the blisters start out as patches? If so, how long would that take?
- would it be obvious if I had swollen groin glands or how could I tell?

Thanks

[todd4385]

Thank you Dr. very helpful.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The flu-like symptoms and blisters would occur at about the same time.  That your flu-like symptoms have resolved without lesion appearance is further evidence that this was not HSV.

HSV can be transmitted to apparently intact skin. The thought is that the "trauma" (friction)of sex leads to microscopic abrasions which then faciltiate transmission.  EWH

[todd4385]

One other question - would my penis need an open wound to be exposed to herpetic whitlow or is it absorbed through that has no cuts?

Thank you

[todd4385]

Thank you Dr. Hook, very much appreciate your reply.

Are you of the opinion that blisters would show in the 2-10 day time frame?  My flu symptoms have gone away, but on the off chance it was related to hsv is it possible for flu symptoms to go away and lesions show up days later?  Or do the two go hand in hand?

Thanks again -

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I see you have also posted your question on the Herpes Expert Forum and the Herpes Community sites.  I am confident that you will get similar answers from each site.  

There is virtually no risk of herpes from the sort of exposure you describe.  there is a rare variation of herpes infection in which persons whose hands are exposed to others mouths on a regular basis (dentists, respiratory therapists) used to get HSV infections on their fingers but this has virtually disappeared since the infection was recognized and gloves have come into use. The infection was called a "herpetic whitlow" could then transmit infection to others through direct contact.  While this is a theoretical concern even today, for all practical purposes, that is all it is and is not something to be concerned about.

If you had gotten HSV through the exposures you described, you would have developed lesions at the site of infection.  Further, flu-like symptoms of the sort you mention are far, far more likely to be due to the flu (it is flu season) or the sorts of community acquired viral infections that we all get from time to time.

If you had gotten herpes, you would develop small blisters at the site of infection, evolving from red bumps over a period of a few hours.  

There is no reason for you to worry about herpes, nor does anything you have described suggest HSV.  I would not worry- there were safe exposures.  EWH