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Herpes Negative Blood Test but Potential Outbreak
Hi All -
I have been in a relationship with a girl who has had HSV-1 since she was a child and suffers from periodic oral fever blisters. Back in January (January 13, 2013) I experienced a potential outbreak. An area on the right side of my penis near the head became swollen and within 24 hours blisters developed. Approximately five or six blisters. I went to the doctor who only looked at the blisters and said they looked like "herpetic lesions". He gave me some acyclovir and the sores went away. At the four month mark I decided to get blood tested. The results came back negative. I never experienced another outbreak until recently I had an area on my shaft near the same area turn red and a single blister (very small, nothing like before) appeared. I popped it and it formed into a small crater/ulcer type sore with a scab. I went to go get tested again (this is now over seven months since the first incident) and the blood test once again came back negative. Both times, the sores were NEVER painful.
What are your thoughts? HSV or something else?
I have been in a relationship with a girl who has had HSV-1 since she was a child and suffers from periodic oral fever blisters. Back in January (January 13, 2013) I experienced a potential outbreak. An area on the right side of my penis near the head became swollen and within 24 hours blisters developed. Approximately five or six blisters. I went to the doctor who only looked at the blisters and said they looked like "herpetic lesions". He gave me some acyclovir and the sores went away. At the four month mark I decided to get blood tested. The results came back negative. I never experienced another outbreak until recently I had an area on my shaft near the same area turn red and a single blister (very small, nothing like before) appeared. I popped it and it formed into a small crater/ulcer type sore with a scab. I went to go get tested again (this is now over seven months since the first incident) and the blood test once again came back negative. Both times, the sores were NEVER painful.
What are your thoughts? HSV or something else?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The reason I suggest the western blot is that it is far more sensitive for HSV 1 than the ELISA
Terri
Terri
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your blisters do sound typical for herpes, unfortunately. The ELISA test, the IgG type specific test that is normally used for screening, misses at least one out of 10 cases of HSV 1. You could do one of two things:
1) wait until you get your next blister, no matter how small, and ask for a PCR swab to be done of it immediately or
2) get a herpes western blot antibody test. You can get a kit directly from the University of Washington shipped to you for a blood draw or we can order it for you from our clinic.
Terri
1) wait until you get your next blister, no matter how small, and ask for a PCR swab to be done of it immediately or
2) get a herpes western blot antibody test. You can get a kit directly from the University of Washington shipped to you for a blood draw or we can order it for you from our clinic.
Terri
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
