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STDs (Expert Forum)
herpes HIV
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
herpes HIV
by won de marco, Dec 02, 2004 12:00AM
In May of 2004 I had unprotected sex with a woman a Filipino native while on vacation there, we had sex maybe five times but only the last month I was there vaginal and oral. I knew her for about three months she was not a sex worker but her pass is unknown. Came home and about a half month later found out I had contracted Chlamydia. I then was tested for, Hepatitis, Syphilis and Gonorrhea and in August was tested for HIV, all came back negative. Later I experienced a wired tingling in my foot a funny feeling inside of my right thigh and two accounts of sharp pains in my stomach area no more of any of this to date. I now from time to time experience a slight tinging sensation in my groin area. I saw a Dr. and he told me it sounds like herpes but he does not see anything abnormal with my genital area and told me to come back if I develop of blisters. I have not had any of those “classical” symptoms not even cold sores to date. Now I am in a dedicated relationship back in the states and yesterday my companion started complaining of stomach pains similar to what I experienced she only had one account to date. I dare not tell her what happened to me as I do not want to lose her. Do you think I have herpes? Also what are the chances that the tests could be false since I had most of them one month later except the HIV test which I had two months later?
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Dec 02, 2004 12:00AM
, Dec 02, 2004 12:00AM
Most likely your symptoms are not due to herpes, but it is possible. A "prodrome" of tingling or other similar symptoms often precedes some genital herpes outbreaks, and it may be that sometimes prodrome-like symptoms occur alone. Given your sexual risks, there is a fair chance you in fact are infected with type 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV-2)--whether or not you were infected in the Philippines. (About 25% of the general population is infected, regardless of symptoms.)
Accordingly, I recommend you be tested for HSV-2. In contrast to your doctor's advice, you don't need to wait for symptoms to be tested; go back and request the HerpeSelect HSV-2 blood test. (It has to be that test, insist on it by name. See several other messages on this forum for more detail.) If the result is negative, you can rest easy. If positive, you and your doctor may decide to try suppressive therapy with one of the anti-herpes drugs (valacyclovir, acyclovir, or famciclovir) to see if it prevents the tingling and related symptoms.
Your partner's abdominal pain probably isn't herpes or any other STD.
Finally, all the tests you describe give accurate results within a couple of weeks of exposure--so you can rely on the negative results.
Good luck--- HHH, MD
Accordingly, I recommend you be tested for HSV-2. In contrast to your doctor's advice, you don't need to wait for symptoms to be tested; go back and request the HerpeSelect HSV-2 blood test. (It has to be that test, insist on it by name. See several other messages on this forum for more detail.) If the result is negative, you can rest easy. If positive, you and your doctor may decide to try suppressive therapy with one of the anti-herpes drugs (valacyclovir, acyclovir, or famciclovir) to see if it prevents the tingling and related symptoms.
Your partner's abdominal pain probably isn't herpes or any other STD.
Finally, all the tests you describe give accurate results within a couple of weeks of exposure--so you can rely on the negative results.
Good luck--- HHH, MD
