i think i have herpes

hello doctors heres my story. i had brief unprotected sex with an girl (one night stand) and ever since i've been worried. i developed a bump on the upper part of my shaft about half inch from the head. this bump was sort of pink. the bump had a dimple in the center. i picked at it and tried to pop it but it wouldnt burst but when picking it pulled of some skin but didnt bleed. i went to a doctor and derm and the doc said a cyst of some kind but not std related, and the derm said it was either a wart or follical infection. i know it wasnt a wart i think he thought that because i was picking at it which is why it was a pink color. i got this bump about four months after i had the one nighter. i took a hole slew of herpesblood test the herpeselct test i believe. the last one i took was five months after sex and i know thats more than enough time but i think i just dont make antibodies. granted the bump or pimple whatever didnt hurt it just was in a wierd place. i dont know if maybe i got paranoid after this girl and i started inspecting myself so maybe that cause the irritation? anyways the bump went away in a week. after picking it, there looked like a scab was ther but not like what i've seen in herpes pics. i really dont know if it was a scab. the derm saw all that though and gave me a 100% assurance it was herpes but cmon a lesion like that in that place. are my blood test just bogus. ie had three done all after three months but im just confused how a bump gets there and then goes away. thank you for any help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You think you have herpes - I don't.  the evidence for you having herpes is zero.  The Herpes Select blood test is a very good test and yours have been negative.  Furthermore, the lesions you describe do not sound at all like herpes, nor do the trained health care professionals who you have asked think this is HSV either. Finally, your risk of HSV following a single exposure to a partner who you do not even know had herpes is statistically very low risk.  Putting all of this together I hope that my comments, on top of all of the other advice that you have had will convince you to stop worrying about this. There is simply NO reason.

As far as what it might have been, there are many, many other explanations including the folliculitis and cyst explanations you have already received.  I would believe the evaluations you have already had.  

I note that you have given very good advice to others on the HSV community site.  I hope you can apply the same logic to your own situation.  EWH

[whattodo123]

yeah i just got a little worried when i read some people have trouble with the blood test and i just cant remember ever seeing the lesion thing i found ever before. thank you for oticing my advice and im glad it is good advice im given because after all the paranoia i went through i like to help others get through theirs. thank you

[whattodo123]

hello doctor i had another question for educational purposes, i've gotten over my paranoia but i just want to make sure im giving good advice. i've read that if the test you take is a combination test like 1 and 2 the results are often unreliable. is that true and also is the blood test a proper way to get results or do you really need to get cultured to get results. this virus is so confusing to me and i like to learn more about it to help friends and such so they know about it and dont contract it my self included.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Some blood tests are reliable and others are not.  If a person is going to have a blood test for HSV, they should be tested with a good type-specific test such as the HerpeSelect which will give results for both HSV-1 and for HSV-2.  We do not recommend IgM testing in any circumstance.

For evaluation of lesions a culture or PCR test is a better approach than to do a blood test as the blood test can be negative in some people with relatively recent infections.

This will end this thread. If you wish to learn more about HSV and HSV testing I would suggest a visit to the ASHA web site (disclosure, Dr. HaNdsfield and I are each on the ASHA Board).  EWH