Hi. My husband contracted herpes 12 years ago; had two outbreaks and has not had an outbreak in 10 years. I do not have herpes. Last week, I had a hangnail and a little cut on my middle finger and, not even thinking about them, I ...this is so embarrassing..., while wanting to try something "new," put that same finger inside his rectum. The next day or two, I had a temperature of a 101.8, thinking it was the flu. Then, that day, my finger became red, swollen and really sore. I remember what had "happened" a couple days ago (although I thoroughly washed my hands afterwards), and thought that I maybe got some bacteria (which is rational to think that under the circumstances) in the hangnail or cut (although the main soreness and swelling started at the center of my cuticle. A put hydrogen peroxide on it 4 times a day and Neospirn with a bandaid. The symptoms got progressively worse over the next few days, until yesterday I literally could not even move my finger, it was SEVERELY swollen, tingling, throbbing, needle-like pain, sometimes itching, and three lymph nodes/glands in my arm were swollen and very sore. Oh and about three days ago, the side of where the main swelling was (below the nail bed) busted open, causing an opening to the infection area - but was not near the hangnail or the small cut, which was lower on my finger. Last night, it started to feel like I was losing circulation in my finger, so my husband and I went to the ER. They injected each side of the base of my finger and used a scapula to open the center of the swelling (which you could see white under the skin) to train the fluid and puss out. They didn't do any tests and I did not tell them about the anal stuff b/c I didn't think that it was relevant to disclose exactly how I suspected that bacteria got into the hangnail and/or small cut. They also didn't ask and I didn't tell (b/c I didn't think it was necessary) to disclose that my husband (but my I) have herpes. They said the infection was probably the onset of a staph infection and gave me two antibiotics and pain medication. Today, I went online to read about infections on fingers and immediately came across information about herpetic whitlow, which I never knew existed. I read about the symptoms and progression of symptoms of herpetic whitlow and saw photos of what it looks like and it looks exactly like what I have! My husband has not had a breakout in 10 years...but, he does frequently have a lot of pain or the like in his rectum, but he has always thought it was hemorrhoids - could it be that he was in fact broken out...but only in his rectum?? Any thoughts, suggestions, comments???? I am going to go to the doctor to get a test done...I guess with a swab of the injected area, but will the fact that they have already cut open and drained the area affect the results? Will the fact that I have been on antibiotics for the past 36 hours affect the results? And...as a side question, but equally of importance to me (!!), if I do in fact have herpetic whitlow how does my husband have break out inside his rectum??? Seriously, I need answers! His initial break out (when he was 16), as well as the only two breakouts he had after that (when he was 17 and 18) was on his penis. Can herpes spread to his rectum and be confined to only the rectum in subsequent breakouts?? Do you think he had anal sex with a guy???? Please help me with these questions (testing herpetic whitlow and the one just listed)!!! Thank you sooooooo much in advance!!!!!!!!!!!