Atypical HSV-1?

[22scared123]

I Was seeing girl who said she had been tested and clean from August to Nov 07. Had a lot of sex only twice unprotected last time in November. Then went home for Christmas and ran into old GF there and had only brief unprotected vaginal sex.

So, on around February 1st I started have burning/ soreness in and around my penis. This discomfot only came when I was sitting down. on the 8th I noticed a small raised scab (ulcer) maybe 6-8mm right on the top of the shaft below where I am circumcised. I do masturbate a lot (1-2 times a day average) and sometimes can be a little rough as I have occasionally had sores but never in this spot. So I scheduled an appointment to get the whole works done (herpes,HIV, Chlamydia, syphillis and Gonorrhea). By the time of my appointment 3 days later the scab had healed and the doc saw no visible signs.

After the appt I noticed a scab in the same spot this one 10-12mm. Neither scabs hurt or provided any discomfort. I would say that some of the burning could have been in the spot this scab developed. Again this sore healed in about 5-6 days and that seemed to relate to me not masturbating. Another week later I then noticed a 3rd smaller scab in the area where I usually get from masterbating too rough. This one seemed a little different from my usual ones. Now March still slight discomfort no sores

Tests all came back negative except HSV-1 IgG was 1.9. I've had painful sores on my tongue in usually the same spot since I was about 17. These sores are sensitive to the touch and usually heal in 3-5 days. They look kind of like a pimple (3mm) on the side of my tongue with a small abcess in the middle.

So my question do you think I could be having an atypical HSV-1 outbreak & would these scabs be testable for HSV? I am currently in a relationship and having protected sex. But this started after I was tested, I say this because I see new sexual relationships can trigger outbreaks but this all started before the intimacy began.

[scared_half_to_death]

I meant:

A negative for HSV2 IgG blood test is not considered valid until 3-4 months.

[scared_half_to_death]

it could HSV1 or HSV2. However, 3 days sounds a bit fast for a herpes sore to heal. If you are having lesions in your genitals, you should stop having unprotected sex until you sort this out. Get the lesions cultured when they first appear.

A negative for HSV2 IgG blood test is non considered valid 3-4 months.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The fact that the two episodes of lesions occurred about a week apart makes it still more unlikely that this was HSV although the disease recurrence patterns can be highly variable.

HSV-1 on the tongue. Again uncommon and more likely to be aphous ulcers.  Orolabial HSV most commonly presents at lesions on the lips (i.e. "cold sores")

HSV-2 levels are clearly negative.

EWH

[22scared123]

Thanks for your insight. I will get another Herpeselect test done around August. Until then I am using condoms.

All total I would say that each of the sores came about a week apart. I don't know if that makes a big difference.

I was also curious is HSV-1 common on the tongue? Or do you know of anything else allergic or otherwise that could explain the recurrent sores on my tongue?

My HSV-2 levels were .09 which is pretty common I believe.

Thanks for your help Doctor Hook.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There are several elements to your story which do not completely connect.  Importantly, the first time you noticed a lesion was in February, which, as I understand it, was over a month since your last sexual exposure.  This is quite long for the onset of herpes as acquired from either your partner through November or from your holiday partner.  Thus, taken from  this perspective, it would seem unlikely the the lesions you describe are recently acquired herpes (if it was herpes, the recurrent nature of the herpes would suggest that it would be HSV-2 since HSV-1 in the genitals does not recur frequently).  Having considered this, if the lesions you are having is herpes but has been present for a longer period of time, then I would expect your HerpeSelect result to reflect this--it does not.  Putting all of this together, my guess is that the recurrent lesions that you have noticed are not herpes but indeed may be inadvertent trauma from masturbation.

So what to do.  Well, for starters, while you are sorting things out, condoms would be a good idea.  Second, the next time the lesion occurs, I would strongly recommend getting a culture of PCR test.  The sooner after lesions appear, the more likely a culture is to be positive and after two or three days false negative cultures are actually quite common.  If the lesions do not recur, then I think this is not herpes. Further evidence to support this, while not 100%, would be derived from a repeat blood test at about six months (next August) which is when nearly all HSV blood test that are going to be positive will be.

Hope this helps.  EWH

[scared_half_to_death]

DOCTORS. Greatest apology. I thought that I was in the STD community. Please delete my posts!!!!!