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How did I contract herpes?

I recently saw a dermatologist to confirm if a rash of ulcers on my left buttocks was herpes simplex.

I had seen two doctors before that, one believed it to be herpes simplex and the other believed it was herpes zoster.

The dermatologist believes it is herpes simplex 2.

What I am wondering is how I could have possibly contracted HSV-2...

A few reasons why I wonder this:

-This is my first outbreak, so I must have contracted it within the past year.

-Within the past year I have only slept with 2 girls.  Both of whom have never experienced symptoms of Herpes and both of whom have been tested, specifically for herpes, with negative results.  I am the only man they have slept with within the past year and they have no reason to lie to me.  If they had it, wouldn't they have anti-bodies by now?

-The doctor said I may have contracted it when I was young or genetically from my parents.  Neither of my parents have HSV-2.  This is my first outbreak and it appeared in a small area on my left butt cheek.  I can think of no other instance that could have given me this.

-I have always used a condom during sexual intercourse.  ALWAYS.

-Beyond this, I can guarantee that every girl I have slept with has been negative for STD's.  For personal reasons I would rather not reveal why I know this but it is true.

A few things I'm wondering about.  The dermatologist was Japanese (I live in Japan), and he told me several things that I don't understand.

*It can't be herpes zoster because herpes zoster covers a larger area and usually spreads down the leg.

*Since it was on my buttocks, it was not an STD(?).  I was under the impression that HSV-2 was an STD in every instance...

*I am only contagious when I have an active outbreak.  He said I didn't have to worry about asymptomatic shedding(?).  But I thought this was a reason why herpes spread so easily...

*He told me there is no accurate tests for herpes and it would be another 9 months until antibodies showed up in my system (I had recently had a bloodtest that came out negative for herpes).

Can anyone explain this to me?  Because I don't understand at all...
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Avatar universal
I realize this is an old post but from experience I am sure you are most likely still getting outbreaks periodically. So I thought I'd add my knowledge from my own experience.

Since 1998 I have had periodic recurring outbreaks only on my left buttock, always in the same spot. In the middle of the buttock and the size of a silver dollar. Always the same.

I went to several doctors and they all had different opinions on how I could have gotten it but they all agreed it was a herpes rash. In the beginning when I got it I assumed it was a spider bite since I had recently been in the woods working. At that time I was a stunt woman and I had done a stunt rolling down a muddy hill in the woods…and there were a lot of weird bugs etc…All doctors said no and I know now that it was not a bug bite since they don't reoccur with outbreaks.

Then I had remembered that the night in the woods, I had used a bathroom in a camper. It was filthy as they usually are on a movie set. I have NEVER in my life sat on a public toilet. Well that night, as I attempted to squat to urinate intending not to touch the toilet as I always do, my left leg collapsed. From the stunt I had gotten a big contusion on my left thigh, so my leg collapsed. I fell ONLY on my left buttock onto the toilet seat. When I turned around, there were small little nat type bugs flying around the toilet.

I believe that someone who had genital herpes urinated on the seat (most likely a female) and that it had dried. Herpes is that contagious from all my research…just making contact with it will give it to you. I have never had genital herpes in or on my genitals…but I believe that I have genital herpes on my left butt.

The good news is that I have gone many years without any break outs. I take a lysine powder everyday. I take so many vitamins to keep my immune system strong every day…Vit C etc…

That said, I do notice that when I am under stress and I feel that there is nothing I can do to handle the stress, I get a breakout. So it is true that stress brings it out. Listen, who doesn't have stress? But the key is HOW are you handling the stress? That seems to be the difference in whether I get a break out of not! My solution now, is if I can't handle it, I cut out the person causing it, even if it's family! Life's too short!

Well, thats my 2 cents for whatever it's worth!

Boy, I hope that helps you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
three weeks ago i noticed a small pimple on the right side of my buttocks; this looked initially like an insect bite, which itched and turned blue black in colour over a day -  eventually it turned into a dark red itchy blister which scabbed over. A few days later i noticed a small cluster of rash on the left buttocks and some more appeared on the right, with the same symptoms.  There are currently about 20 small blisters/sores in total over m buttocks.

I am a gay man and currently with a regular partner; we've been having sex for 3 weeks and he does not have any symptoms - before i met him i had a few casual partners and am aware that i may have contracted the virus from one of them...i contacted a few of whom i'm still in contact with and they said they have no symtoms.

In light of the above i went to the GUM clinic as i thought it was herpes, the nurse said it wasn't and the symptoms were hair folliculitis and sent me away. I went to see my doctor for a second opinion; he said it looked like shingles hepres zoster. I had shingles when i was 16yrs old and didn't understand how it could return again? The doctor said that the rash didn't show classic signs of herpes; i.e rash only on one side. Mine appeared sporadic and arched almost like a rainbow over both cheeks.

I'm planning to have a swap done at a different GUM clinic; I have read the thread above I was wondering if there's anything you can advise me on?
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Avatar universal
People don't really seem to be certain about herpes II.  I have rash on left buttocks cheek too.  Two doctors prescribed antibiotics.  I mentioned to a dermatologist and she suggested it was genital herpes.  This scared me....when I had the 3rd! OB I went to family planning with pictures and still they did not think it looked like herpes; however I had a test and it cam back positive for antibodies for HSV II not HSV I.  My long term partner swears he did not cheat on me and has no idea (apart from blaming it on alledged filthy hot tub I went in at night in a tropical country).  He went to doctor who convinced him that he did not need to be tested (don't think they had the test I wanted him to get) but did test him for two other tests that only required urinalysis - both came back negative.  We are going away soon and I think we both need to be re-tested.  Does anything else recur like genital herpes?  Can the OB occur other places?  What about out future relationship?  What did your doc mean by a nonSTD?  Could it be staph or MRSA?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for your response, but that wasn't my question.  I know what herpes simplex is.

I saw a dermatologist and he believes I have herpes simplex.  So I no longer believe it's herpes zoster.

My question is clarification and determination.  He said it's not an STD since it's on my buttocks and probably came out due to stress.  I made sure he understood it was my first outbreak.  What does he mean it's not an STD? What does this mean?!  I don't understand.

He said I am only contagious when there are fresh ulcers, is this true?

None of my previous sexual partners have herpes (they were all tested both recently and in the past).  So how could I have contracted it?  Some toilet seats where I work are heated, would that allow the herpes virus to survive long enough to spread?  It would explain why it first showed up on my buttocks and no where else.

I can't think of any other way I could have contracted it...
Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.

Herpes also presents with red itchy blisters which scab over. Herpes simplex is most easily transmitted by direct contact with a lesion or the body fluid of an infected individual. Transmission may also occur through skin-to-skin contact during periods of asymptomatic shedding.

The only way of ruling it out is by getting yourself tested for genital herpes. Laboratory tests include: culture of the virus, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) studies to detect virus, skin biopsy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test for presence of viral DNA.


On the other hand herpes zoster is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe.Diagnosis is by clinical examination, Tsanck smear, VZV-specific IgM antibody in blood and polymerase chain reaction for VZV DNA.

I sincerely advise you to consult a dermatologist and get a polymerase chain reaction test done for both s that exact diagnosis can be confirmed and treatment started.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.





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