HSV 2 on legs?

[5175]

Hello dr.  I love what you do but hate having to be back on this site again, although it always makes for an interesting read.

I'm a male who had protected sex, no condom breakage, with a female I met on vacation.  I also received unprotcted oral but I'm not too concerned about that from what you say.

Problem is now at about 18 days I have two lesions that I fear may be herpes?  One on the back of my left leg, halfway between knee and butt.  This one did start off slightly itchy but not like a coldsore itch really, (I have hsv1).  This started as a red bump, but a big red bump, not custered, very mosquito bite like.  Now it is a blister but not yellowish more greyish, clear, looks quite hard, and interstingly is very defined and raised.  Meaning it's like  a perfect circle, doesnt really itch but is senstive to the touch alittle.  There is a tiny, point at it's centre, meaning I can tell where the exact centre is.

The other lesion is also a red bump but no fluid filled blister on it.  It is on the same side but right above my butt, right at the waist line I would say.  This one started probably one day after the leg one.

No clusters, no other visible lesions/blisters.  2 days after being with this girl I did have a rash on my right top, forearm.  Looked like freckles, lasted a day.  SHould I get the really pronounced one checked for a viral culture?  I have to wait alteast two days.  Is condom use, one time exposure, and no gential lesions, encouraging, very encouraging or makes no difference?  I did have some itiching in the genital area but attributed it more to anxiety and hair growing back in after trimming.

OH! Last question, maybe absurd but HIV can't Hijack HSV2 and make a backdoor entrance with skin to skin contact right?  Condom has me covered right?  Just asking cause I recall herpes increasing risk of hiv transmission.

Thanks doctor.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Initial genital herpes virtually always is on the genitals, not the buttocks, thighs, etc; even though recurrent outbreaks sometimes involve such sites.  Two widely spaced skin lesions doesn't sound like initial herpes either, and the rash on your arm certainly isn't herpes.  So if you have herpes, you didn't catch it during the encounter your describe.  Almost certainly you are describing a couple of zits or folliculitis.  I doubt any of your symptoms have anything to do with your sexual expsoure.  But see a health care provider if your symptoms persist.

Lesions on the skin--whether herpes or anything else--almost never are a route for introduction of HIV.

Good luck-- HHH, MD

[5175]

Thank You.