Could this be Herpe?

[anxietyattack2008]

Hi Dr.

Thank you so much for all of your very valuable comments and answers to this forum. I have been relying on this form to give me some peace while suffering form anxiety attack after a contact with a Korean sex worker. I am worried that I have contracted Herpe either HSV-1 or HSV-2 from it after performed Unprotected Cunninglus and protected virginal sex. I read many archived posting but couldn't find anyone close to my symptoms.

I had unprotected cunninglus with the KSW on 06/19. 8 hours after, I experienced minor sore underneath the tongue. Then a day later, my lower inner lip had a bad sore which is painful with burning sensations. I didn't see any ulcers but the inner lip is quite "red". The sore last until the 06/23 which I noticed some kind of skin peel off from the inner lip. I was shocked and took the STD panel test on the same date 06/23 which was "too soon" for anti-body tests. But all HSV and HIV came back negative. Well, I want some kind of baseline that I didn't catch any prior to this contact. About two days later, my face has some kind of outbreak with many tiny pimples (like) in clusters but they're not painful but a little itchy if I touch them. Recently, about the 07/08, I start to feel minor burning and itchy  around the genital area like in the scrotum and the Y area between the scrotum and the thighs & buttocks. It is worst when I sit in the office during work but better if I stand instead. Before the itchiness, I felt minor discomfort on my groin (Right). It went away about a day. I had dry mouth for weeks and sore throat for 1 day. I had frequent loose stools / diarrheas ever since. I checked my genital but can't find any outbreaks like blisters, small bumps or small pimples similar to I have on my face, but it is just feeling discomfort due to itch. I already have my blood drawn for HSV1/2 IgM test and PCR for HIV which won't come back by end of this week. But I am having anxiety attack every day thinking bout it. Please help. Thanks!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You summarized your problem in your next to last sentence when you said you are having daily anxiety attacks.  None of the symptoms you describe resemble either HSV-1 or -2 occurring at either the mouth or genital sites.  The symptoms started too soon and did no evolve in a manner typical of herpes.  If you need to test a lesion or sore, please do so with culture or PCR tests for herpes, not blood tests and particularly not with an IgM blood test which gives MANY false positive results.  It sounds to me as though you are "detecting" sensations and skin changes which are normal.

There is no evidence that you have herpes. If my reassurance does not help, then you could repeat the blood test, using a reliable IgG blood test such as the HerpeSelect (not an IgM test) 3 months following your exposure.  EWH

[anxietyattack2008]

Thank you so much Dr. Edward. I understood it was very low risk exposure in performing unprotected cunninglus. I was just worried sick about possible exposure to HIV while the sex worker also has Herpe which may even increase the chance of transmitting by 4 to 5 times. I realized the symptoms I described do not resemble HIV acute infection. Since this is not the HIV forum, I won't go too far with this. I will wait for my HIV PCR test result this Friday. Thanks again, it gives me great deal of comforts from your reassurance.

[anxietyattack2008]

Hi Dr.

I am just doing a follow up on this thread with the testing result. Like I mentioned earlier, I actually did the IgM for Herpe 1/2 and PCR for HIV, both came back negative three weeks after exposure. I've attempted to post the PCR HIV question on the HIV forum but  it always reached its daily limit. Am I in pretty good shape with a negative on HIV PCR after 3 weeks. I have done another antibodies test on the 4th weeks mark and waiting to do two more on the 6th and 8th. I wanted to do another HIV PCR on the 28 days, but probably not necessary. In addition I can't handle any false positive at this point. I believe my 4 weeks test will come out negative since I just did the PCR test which are far more sensitive than antibodies in looking for 10 copies of virus DNA. Just wanted to hear some brief comment from you given this is not the HIV forum.


Many Thanks!!!  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your test results confirm that you do not have HIV or herpes.  Getting the IgM herpes test, like the PCR, was risky because either may yield false positive results, causing you unnecessary concerns. I'm glad the results turned out as they did and do not recommend further testing.  EWH

[anxietyattack2008]

Thank you so much Dr. Hook. Without your words, I could have been sleepless over the past weeks. After this incident, for sure I won't risk my life EVER AGAIN. Not worth it at all with all the nerve racking and guilts. Learned my lesson really. Anyway, God Bless You !! Keep up the good work.