Negative HSV test due to a "local" infection?

[Lemten]

I've had Herpes-like symptoms recurring in my genital area for over 1,5 years after an sexual encounter. So i have had 3 blood tests done during this time: first after 8 weeks from possible exposure, second after 11 months from possible exposure, and last of them was done last month, 1,5 years ater possible exposure. The type on the test performed to my understading was ELISA that didn't differentiate between HSV1 and HSV2. And that didn't really matter because the result was negative everytime, meaning - due to the general guidance, that i am HSV-negative altogether. Right?

But: the infectious disease specialist i saw, said that if the infection is local, the body doesn't produce antibodies to be detected in a blood test. That is somewhat confusing, because i thought that most of the herpes infections are "local" and not systemic? If my doctor is right, that would mean that all the general info about herpes blood tests and their accuracy in diagnosing herpes, oral or genital, was wrong or at least very misleading.

So, is it really so? Of course i asked my doctor this : Isn't herpes almost always local and not systemic, meaning it presents itself as a sore or a blister on lips or genitals? And why are antibody tests then used and recommended fo diagnosing that type of HSV-infections if the body isn't really likely to produce antibodies to be detected?

Answer was that the body produces antibodies to be detected in blood mostly if there is, for example, mouth full of blisters - but not if there is, for example, one blister on a lip?

This goes against pretty much everything i've read about diagnosing herpes via blood tests and the reliability of them in doing so.

I understand that false positives and false negatives do happen but do they really happen that way? And if they do, wouldn't that mean that most of the negative blood tests for HSV (when there is a reason to believe in a possibility of being infected) were actually false negatives, if it really is that Unusual for the antibodies to be produced in a way that could be detected in a blood test if the infection (like most of the HSV-infections?) is local?

[Winq]

I've read this several year old post with great interest since I myself have received negative test results on both blood and culture tests, in spite of symptoms that very much resemble everything I've read about genital herpes – swelling, redness, itching, soreness, and some kind of wounds that look like broken blisters. I have however not seen the blisters themselves. But certainly there was something that they took the culture swab from. Before the first outbreak I had a day of fever and mild nausea; then anal itching and pain (which I first mistook for hemorrhoids), then a vaginal  infection where finally I found the brokenblister-looking skin. I have recurrent infections every time I have my period.

My partner also has the same – same symptoms and very similar presentation – and one of us passed it to the other, so it must be some kind of virus (possibly bacteria).
Everything points to HSV, apart from the tests done, and now I'm just very perplexed.

[bleuz]

fianlly found someone going though the same thing you still around i had this issue for years  and doctors said psoriasis but.... its sprending with the steriod cream

[Lemten2]

Hi,

The original thread is over 1 year old, and I happened to come back to it now. So now is the first time I see your 4 months old reply to the thread. For some reason my old account isn't valid anymore, so I had to sign in to the site again to  be able to answer.

I'm sorry to say that nothing particular has happened concerning my situation or the process of getting diagnosed. The only difference is that now the stinging and burning sensations in the sacral area all down my leg and even up my arm on that side are constant and have been going on for little over a year. The skin symptoms are just as vague as before. Some little red spots on the penis every now and then. I've had every other test done also, and everything has come up negative. Unfortunately the most reasonable cause for my symptoms would be herpes I think, even when my blood tests have been negative. And if this indeed is herpes, then there is an undeniable possibility of herpetic neuralgia developing from HSV and not just from Zoster. At least if the burning in the lower back, hip, groin, leg and toes as well as strong fasciculations in the calfs are considered to be neuralgia - which they are to all my understanding.

[boncan]

Hey,

Firstly, thank you Lemten for posting this as I have been searching for something like it for about 2 weeks now.  I too got a negative HSV test about a week ago and think that it may be positive.  Not sure why GracefromHHP is saying what she is (although at some points her view has been helpful for me understanding more).  I was sexually active about 8 weeks ago ONCE with someone and about 2 weeks ago acquired a rash below the base of the tip of my penis, this is what sparked me to get a blood test.  It gets crusty at some points but I too think this is half from masturbation.

I know this thread is a year old now, but any info on what ended up happening with this would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[william28]

I think u r fine and u do not have herpes.... may be only anxity!!!!!!

[Lemten]

No.

[william28]

Did you take any vaccine in the last 6 months?

[Lemten]

I'm not sure if i'm allowed to answer that, but no, i don't have any update. But i let you know if anything changes in my situation, so no need to keep asking it. I don't know how long it is going to take for anything to change though. Whether it took a month or a year, i try to remember to tell about it here as it happens. Take care.

[william28]

Do you have any update ?

[william28]

had some research What Affects the blood work test:

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

    * Taking medicines, such as hydralazine, phenylbutazone, birth control pills, anticonvulsants (such as phenytoin), methotrexate, aminophenazone, asparaginase, or corticosteroids.
    * Having cancer treatments, both radiation and chemotherapy.
    * Receiving a blood transfusion in the past 6 months.
    * Getting vaccinations (immunizations), especially vaccinations with repeat (booster) doses, in the past 6 months.
    * Using alcohol or illegal drugs.
    * Having a radioactive scan in the past 3 days.

[Lemten]

Be my guest - but it's not me who has kept this thread so active. I've just answered politely to the questions that have been asked from me. And i just figured that it would be best to give the most accurate description of the situation. I haven't really asked that kind of questions like you say: "if this is happening does this mean this is herpes" - you just mix me up with william28 whose questions I've been answering. And i clearly made it known that i acknowledge that pictures aren't allowed here. The picture comment was just meant to illustrate that i'm confident about THE rash recurring immediately after irritation.

You just happened to have a pre-attitude to my posts for whatever reason and you answer based on that - instead of really considering what i say.

So what have i mainly done:

1. Presented my situation and the original question that i haven't ever seen asked before

2. Updated my situation (the tests that we're taken)

3. Asked some additional questions about the tests etc. (which to my understanding is the function of this board)

An then: 4. Answered questions that have been asked from me. Sometimes i wouldn't even have been so keen on answering williams' questions but i think it would be unpolite not to answer.

[gracefromHHP]

no pictures here.

I've already told you several times now that this isn't likely to be herpes related at all.

I'm going to have to limit your posts at this point. If you get a + herpes lesion culture then by all means post and if you want to post a general update to your situation after the visit to the dermatologist that too would be terrific but continuing to post "if I did this" or "if this is happening does this mean it's herpes" type posts will be reported to the moderators. really nothing more we can help you with your multiple negative tests and we have to limit posting at some point.

[Lemten]

Of course everything gets irritated when rubbed - but again: the very traits that have made this "herpes" rash abnormal - the scaly bumps, deep-red spots etc. appeared after the rubbing. So it wasn't just redness or irritation but THE rash appearing. And only on that particular spot. The irritation from rubbing was different (just plainly irritated) in areas where the rash doesn't recur. I could take a picture of it and paste it here if it was allowed and if i would consider it so important.

Yes, they tested the same area for hpv too, and yes, separate swab.

[gracefromHHP]

they also tested the same area for hpv too?  I assume they did a separate swab for the hpv pcr testing?

thank you for clarifying that hpv question - too many folks just have their fingers type hpv instead of hsv so I usually ask to make sure!

no, rubbing this with tp isn't important at all as to figuring out what is going on. as I said, most things will get redder and more irritated if you rub at it.

[Lemten]

I was talking about HPV only in two latest posts considering PCR test. I just asked if there would be enough cells for That test to be performed if there wasn't enough of them for my HSV antigen test.

As i said, the irritation from rubbing was't normal irritation, but the rash i've been talking about and suspecting to be herpes in this thread started to occur right after it - suggesting that it would be a local reaction like psoriasis or something like that instead of herpes (unless herpes can re-activate to the skin in 1 minute). I think that is an important clue also in deciding if it's herpes or not, that's why i mentioned it here.

[gracefromHHP]

let me clarify - were you really talking about hpv a few posts ago or did you mean herpes?

anything is going to get irritated more if you rub tp over it!!

as I said previously, not a whole lot we can help you with at this point.  continue to follow up with your providers as needed to try to get to the bottom of this.

grace

[Lemten]

Tonight again I have been pretty stressed about the uncertainty of my condition. So i acted as a bathroom scientist and did something that could be considered unwise by some measurements: i started scraping the area where the rash occurs with a piece of toilet paper to see if there is some kind of reaction - to predict the nature of that rash - if the condition is more of a local reaction than a latent virus. The previous rash had pretty much went away, and as i scraped the area, it became immediately noticeably rashy. Of course any area down there would become red when irritated too much, but i'm talking about THE rash recurring. It wasn't as bad as it has been, but i could still see all it's familiar traits and spots. I also noticed nerve sensations running down my leg as i irritated the area - due to the nerve endings.

So, would herpes react that fast? I think this seems more like a local reaction than a latent virus waking up in a minute.

[william28]

The HPV without any symptoms and pain. It you have warts so your doctor and remove it or your boddy clear the virus by it self from 9 months to 2 years maxium. HPV not realted to any pain you said above so it could be related to any type of herpes... did you go to a different doctor?

Thank you

[Mistakeguy789]

I am not very good with HPV.  We have a HPV forum here.  Don't worry about william.  He likes asking those questions and they have no bearing on our discussion.

PCR looks for DNA/RNA as long as some of its there its going to find it.  The amount of cells need not be the same.  Its like the cutlure needs to be grown if the virus is dead due to heat or whatever during transport the culture will fail.  PCR doesn't need the virus to be a live just needs it to be present.  

[Lemten]

Well, herpes hasn't been completely ruled out considering the possibility of having false negative blood tests. The symptoms seem to be like those of herpes - of course i very much would like it to be something else. But the previous question was about my HPV PCR-test, not herpes.

[william28]

Do you think still herpes issue ?

[Lemten]

Talking of PCR tests, one thing came to my mind that's not directly related to herpes but to my case: if there weren't enough cells in the HSV-antigen test specimen, then is it likely that there was enough of them in the swab for my HPV-PCR test assuming that the amount of the cells was same?

[william28]

I have the same but on my both legs and buttock and I have many blood test and came back negative...

but the problem too is : some ppl got negative on blood test for hsv1 and they had cold sore on lips before.. so thats mean we may be have it but with false negative... but can we got false negative more then 4 times over more than 1 year...

Is that possible?

Thank you.

[Lemten]

Well the rash is almost gone but i still feel mild nerve sensations somewhere in my penis, urinary tract and the joint behind the knee.

It's weird how those sensations sometimes go all the way to the shin and occasionally i even feel mild tingling in my toe and heel. Everything happens mostly in the leg on the same side of my body where the rash is located on my penis but sometimes the sensations occur in the other leg also.

I've also had some urinary problems which, together with penile lesions and joint symptoms, led me to suspect reactive arthritis which has now been pretty much ruled out.

But now i've started to think about the possibility of these symptoms (genital rash and leg sensations) being genital psoriasis although i'm not of course qualified to make self-diagnoses. But i guess that self-diagnosis is better than no diagnosis? :/ The rash has an appearence that could be classified as psoriasis, due to it being more like a reddened area that consists of multiple bumps that are somewhat scaly. But i think they're not separate bumps per se. Although the appearence is somewhat scaly, the rash isn't flaky of dry - due to the moist environment? But the leg sensations are suspicious, since there hasn't been any swelling or restricted movement in my legs - just moderate to mild sensations. So i don't know if that would classify as psoriatic arthritis.

To some degree, mechanical irritation from masturbation seems to affect the rash flaring up. And again, that could be both: herpes or psoriasis.