Should I get another HSV2 test done for me and my son?

[jnq]

Hi!
I was recently diagnosed with HSV2 for the antibody. I went to Planned Parenthood to get the testing done. When I was pregnant with my son, I noticed there was a swollen bump near my rectum. Kind of like an engorged hive maybe. I went to my OB and he said that things can just get engorged when you're pregnant and that it wasn't anything to worry about. I did put some preperation H on it and it went away in a few days. (Oh, and when I went for my for OB appt for the baby, they said I had had a yeast infection and gave me some pills to take for it and they said the yeast infection went away). Anyways, I had the baby a couple weeks after the whole bump thing and it was a vaginal delivery.

Well in January of 09 (I had the baby in  Jun08) that same bump reappeared in the same spot. 1 bump, same spot, and the same way as the other one. It's weird because I was sitting down at my computer and was there for a real long time, and when  i stood up, the bump was there. SO i just thought maybe it was from sitting a long time. But anyways, I was still nervous that it could be herpes. I never really had an outbreak before. The closest I came maybe to having it look like one was after I shave it gets a lil itch when the hair grows back but that's about it. I saw maybe little pimple like things, maybe 1 or 2 after but they were very very small and looked like zits that would go away in a couple days. I have noticed that I've had discharge for a long time even before the baby and figured those were probably yeast infections. So anyways,around the time that I noticed my new bump, I noticed my son got one on his lower abdomen (where the bladder is). It was one spot and it seemed to stay forever. Eventually he got a rash patch right along where his diaper was and he had that for a long time too. But I figured it was because he always was digging it whenever I changed his diaper. After a while he got his first tooth, and his rash started to spread across his tummy. They look like little bumps wayyyy smaller than a pimple, and they werent filled or anything. He would just keep scratching them. No diaper ointment worked or anything. His one main spot went away, but there's still a scar there. I started to get nervous and I knew he had a Dr's appt coming up. So i figured I'd go get tested myself before his appt so that if the nurses said that my thing wasnt herpes, then I wouldnt have to go ask my sons pediatirician the embarrassing question of is my sons bumps herpes, you know?

So I went to Planned Parenthood. I didnt want to go to my OB doctor because his place isnt very private when you check in with a nurse. IT's in a very open room and you can hear what everyone is talking about. So I got the testing done at Planned Parenthood. I got all the STD checking and then I had them look at my bump, which had already gone down but was still there. The nurse looked at it and kind of smiled and said that it wasnt herpes, that it was an ingrown hair. She said she's seen alot of herpes before and mine didnt look anything close to it. I explained about the shaving and the itchiness after with the lil bumps and she said that it's normal to itch after the hair starts to grow back and that people actually get zits down there. I kept asking her if she was sure that it didtn look like herpes. She smiled and said yes and that she wasnt even going to do a culture on it. I kept asking her maybe just in case should she do one, and she said it's not needed cause it doesnt resemble a herpes bump. They did however take blood earlier from me which I guess they used for the Syphillis testing as well. She asked me if I wanted to use the  blood they drew earlier for an antibody check test (for herpes). I said sure do that. No one explained to me about different herpes tests, nothing about type tests or all that IGG and IGM and what not.  ithought you take one test and it shows everything. (Of course i also thought that my OB and pregnancy also did a herpes test on me too and turns out I was wrong).

Well since the nurse there said that my spot wasn't herpes I figured I could take my son to the doctor with confidence and ask about his rash. His pediatrician said right away that it was a diaper rash and becasue he itches it all the time it's gone up to his stomach. SHe gave me a presription for the rash. The medicine worked a little bit but his rash, although diminished, hasn't gone away completely and as he itches it, it comes back again. it's been over 2 1/2 months of this. Well a couple days later, I got the results of the lab test done on me and I got a paper in the mail saying that  I tested positive for HSV2 anitbody saying that I have been exposed to the virus. I called them to see what that meant exactly and the lady didnt seem to be sure about everything but she said yes that means that you do have herpes and I asked her about my son and where to go to get him tested...She said that he probably doesn't have it but and to ask my OB where to get him tested...all her answeres had a "probably" in them or a "sounds like' with them so I wasnt sure of anything. I have no idea what kind of tests they ran or anything. I'm devastated (however strong) but more than anything I am confused and especially about my son. REcently he has devoloped a total of 3 spots on his chest. They are very plain but bigger than a rash mbump. THey're by themselves and they come and go randomly. They look like he has them for 2 days and then they crust over. And leave a brown scar or spot that are flat. What worries me the most is that  he has devoloped a lot of on again off again (with in the past week) red bumps on his scrotum and sometimes under the foreskin. I've kept desitin and whatever was left of his prescription on him, but it never totally goes away, only diminishes. IT's really aggravating me becasue I dont know how to handle the situation. I do admit alot of it has to do with the whole embarrassment on me and my son and if I dont have it or if I just do and he doesnt, the whole telling people and exposure is gonna be heartwrenching especially for my son. I have read up on the things that can happen to an infant when they have it. I have seen that he has had the flu like symptoms. He had it last week but he got the bumps, fevers, cold and teeth all at the same time so I have no idea what is what. HIs doctor last week when I took him in for fevers and stuff said that he had the flu. He lies around alot and he seems to bang his head or drop it in the middle of his play. I dont know if that has anything to do with it or not especially if he has it.

My question is, should I get tested again and if so should I go to the same place and what test should I make sure they do??? Also where can I go to get my son tested and does any of his spots sound like herpes? And if I have never had an outbreak before, can I still have one?

Thank you and sorry for the long story :)

[jnq]

Hi Grace!

I had a question...my son (who i have been unsure if he has herpes or not - refer back to the first 4 messages) recently had very swollen lymph nodes in his groin (just his left side). His white blood count was high, and he had fevers, not eating, and was in alot of pain in the groin. His dr sent him to the hospital where they assumed it was just a hernia, and supposedly "shrunk" it. They sent him home. However, the next morning, still having a fever, the node was bigger, redder, and even more sore. They sent him to the hospital again and they went to do surgery on him just the camera surgery), and found that it wasn't a hernia, that it was an infected lymph node. Give in mind, i didn't not tell anyone about my possible positve herpes situation at all, and that I questioned my son with it as well. I know, I'm terrible, and a big part of me just wanted to tell them the situation, but incase what he had there at the hospital wasnt anything to do with what i might have or thought my son might have, i didnt  want to put it out there then.

But anyways, after a while, they made another guess that it was cat scractch disease. However, that eventually came back negative. I guess he took an IgG test for Bartonella, which I know IgG tests can be for herpes as well. When I saw the IgG test thing on the papers for test that are waiting, it kinda made me panic cuz of the herpes thing. I know you have to have a herpes select test, but if he came back negative with the IgG test for the Bartonella, could that mean it would also be negative for the herpes as well? And do you think that what he had could be herpes? He had a cold for about a week and a half, had alot of poopy diapers (more than normal) and some dhiarria, got a rash (i assumed from all the poopy diapers), and then overnight just got the groin thing and fevers at the same time. Could all this be herpes???

[gracefromHHP]

At this point definitely err on the side of caution and repeat it with another test. I wouldn't retest at that planned parenthood if that is the way the lab is reporting results.  

You can get a herpeselect thru www.healthcheckusa.com or www.tstd.org if either of them have a participating lab near you. It'll run you around $100 for type specific herpes igg blood testing at both places.

grace

[jnq]

Hi Grace!
Sorry it took me so long to get the results back, but can believe this is how long it actually took them just to finally give them to me and I STILL didn't get the numbers that I was looking for...

Well anyways, I'll just give you the readings as they are on the paper infront of me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEROLOGY
   HSV 1 GLYCOPROTEIN  G AB                                                     NEGATIVE
           No significant level of detectable IgG antibody to HSV type 1 Glyoprotein G.

           Individuals infected wtih HSV may not exhibit detectable IgG antibody to    
           Glycoprotein G in the early stages of infection. In addition, 0.2% of the
           infections may occur with Glycoprotein G-deficient virus. Detection of
           antibody presence in these cases may only be possivle using a non-
           specicfic screening test.

  HSV 2 GLYCOPROTEIN G AB                                             AB       POSITIVE
           IgG antibody to HSV type 2 Glycoprotein G detecte, which may indicate a
           current or past HSV infection.

RPR                                                                              NON REACT    [NON REACT]
          Up to 25% of patients with late tertiary syphilis will ahve falsely negative RPR
          results. If tertiary syphilis is suspected consider ordering a trponemal test
          (e.g. FTA-ABS).





Legend: L - Low    H - High    C - Critical    T - Toxic    X - absurd    AB - abnormal
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So that's what the paper said on my test results. I dont see the numbers that everyone else seems to be reading off. And then I don't understand with my reading being "Abnormal" and it seems to be the last on the list of letter codes, does that mean it's the worst reading??? I mean, it came after "Absurd," ya know? And since I've never experienced breakouts, does that mean I will at some point? This test wasn't a lesion test, only an antibody test, so does that mean I just have it floating around inside of me but just hasn't come out yet? I do wish this was a test that showed numbers, but hopefully you can explain it to me. :)

If you could just look at it and see if I definantly should get another test (which is probably I will do) and if I should get it at PP again or not?

[gracefromHHP]

Some labs report with just positive or negative but they really should be giving numbers. The exception being - if you were only tested for hsv2 with a biokit hsv2 igg test or a herpes WB ( which I doubt you had a WB done at PP ).  At this point I'd just seek out additional testing elsewhere with a herpes blood test.

grace

[jnq]

Well so far I contacted PP to have the results and the readings. She didnt even really know what I was talking about when I asked about what type of test I was given. She said that the kind of test they give their are only yes or no tests - you have it or you don't.  So I went to the actual place to see if I could have the actual lab results (and not just a hand written statement)  and they said they'd mail it to me. Should come in a couple days. Not quite sure what kind of test is a yes or no test buuuutttt we'll see when the results come in. I'll keep you posted :)

[gracefromHHP]

Some kids get funky rashes everytime they cut teeth too. Sometimes figuring out with kids is hard.  follow up with this is his doctor but it's not herpes.

also allergies to aloe are pretty common. Even hypoallergenic wipes aren't - it just means that they don't contain the chemicals on the list of chemicals that folks frequently react to.  

grace

[jnq]

I will definantly call PP up tomorrow and ask the spefic results and get back to you with those!

And about my son, so you think it doesn't sound like herpes? The last 2 times I gave him a bath I only use soap on his head hands and feet, but he still has those distinct little bumps on his scrotum. They dont look fluid filled or anything and never crust over after time. They look like spider bites or something. I noticed the 2 spots on his chest (which dont look anything like the ones on his scrotum) have gone completely away today. I've been plastering desitin on him for the last week almost. I just wish the spots on his middle would go away now. I do use Parents Choice Real Wash Cloth wipes on him only because my daughter has sensitive skin (allergic to aloe - I know, right!), and I've been using that since she was a baby. And like you said, my son did not have any bumps or rashes or any phsyical or mental symptoms at birth. Just the bumps, spots or rashes when he was a little after 6 months. He did have RSV and had a major diarrhia week at 7 months and has had constant cold symptoms since then as well, and he is going to be 10 months in 2 weeks. I know kids can get sick alot, so do you think the rashes are just from all of that? I noticed they come when he has teeth coming in (he has 2 now) which accomompay the fever and irriation, lack of eating, irritability, and lathargic actions which i know can all happen with teeth. But since I'm so paranoid about him having herpes, I still think that it could also be that. What do you mean mine and my son's issues aren't related exactly? Meaning he doesnt have the same symptoms as I do or would if I had outbreaks?

Anyways, I will let you know about the results and get back to you! Thanks for the quick response!

[gracefromHHP]

Your issues and your son's are totally unrelated. I can guarantee you that!!!  

We do not have a herpes blood test that is accurate in children that small.  That said, no reason to test him anyways. You do not have the sort of contact it takes to transmit a genital herpes infection to your child.  If he had contracted it during birth, he would've been sick soon after birth , not just be getting rashes now and they wouldn't have shown up first just on his diaper area.  Continue to follow up on his rashes with his doctor. TONS of viruses out there that babies are susceptible to that cause rashes. Also if you are using commercial baby wipes, stop doing so for a few weeks and see if that helps. You can use baby washcloths to cleanse his diaper area with and launder them or you can use handiwipes or even thick, soft paper towels. Just use plain water most of the time - only use soap when you have to. Also take a look at his laundry detergent too and diapers - try changing brands of diapers and use a dye free/fragrance free detergent and put it in for a 2nd rinse too.  Babies have very delicate skin and sometimes get rashes at the drop of the hat from things.

As for yourself , I can best help you if you call PP and ask them to read your herpes blood test results to you - ie hsv1 igg 4.4 and hsv2 igg 3.3 or whatever they are. Write the results down and post them here in this post for me to look at to see if you need additional testing done or not to confirm your hsv2 status. Also if you have a regular partner, they too will need a type specific herpes igg blood test done .

grace