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Hsv2/herpes whitlow
Doctors,
Thank you for providing this forum.
My question is one of great concern but Is likely a " low risk" exposure from my research on this, and other sites. At least I'm hoping for that reassurance.
A few days prior I had an encounter with a female friend. I am male. The friend is positive for hsv2 and has been for over 15 years. Our encounter consisted of me providing finger to genital stimulation for a number of minutes. My friend has had no outbreaks for quite some time and stated she had none during our encounter. Our genitals never touched though her hands did touch mine for an extremely short time. I cannot say without a doubt that mine didn't touch my skin after the encounter though I did wash my hands immediately after.
My questions are, how likely is it to acquire a genital hsv infection in this matter and how likely is it that I will acquire a hsv2 herpetic whitlow infection? If I do acquire a hand infection, does that mean I'm contagious with hsv2 to everyone I touch? Kids, family members, etc? It's been only a couple of days and I'm planning on having a blood test done.
Thank you for your responses in advance. I'm trying to be logical and void of paranoia but as is often the case, my mind has gotten the best of me.
And222
Thank you for providing this forum.
My question is one of great concern but Is likely a " low risk" exposure from my research on this, and other sites. At least I'm hoping for that reassurance.
A few days prior I had an encounter with a female friend. I am male. The friend is positive for hsv2 and has been for over 15 years. Our encounter consisted of me providing finger to genital stimulation for a number of minutes. My friend has had no outbreaks for quite some time and stated she had none during our encounter. Our genitals never touched though her hands did touch mine for an extremely short time. I cannot say without a doubt that mine didn't touch my skin after the encounter though I did wash my hands immediately after.
My questions are, how likely is it to acquire a genital hsv infection in this matter and how likely is it that I will acquire a hsv2 herpetic whitlow infection? If I do acquire a hand infection, does that mean I'm contagious with hsv2 to everyone I touch? Kids, family members, etc? It's been only a couple of days and I'm planning on having a blood test done.
Thank you for your responses in advance. I'm trying to be logical and void of paranoia but as is often the case, my mind has gotten the best of me.
And222
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If your flu-like symptoms were related to herpes lesions would have formed soon afterwards. I suspect your current symptoms are unrleated to the expsoure you mentioned.
I also think you are worrying entirely too much about HSV and over testing. You were fortunate not to get a false positive result. If you have lesions that concern you for HSV, I suggest that you have the lesion tested by PCR or culture, not to try to evaluate it with a blood test.
EWH
I also think you are worrying entirely too much about HSV and over testing. You were fortunate not to get a false positive result. If you have lesions that concern you for HSV, I suggest that you have the lesion tested by PCR or culture, not to try to evaluate it with a blood test.
EWH
Doctors,
As an update, I have now begun to experience flu-like symptoms since my recent exposure to an hsv2 positive friend. I am experiencing fatigue, malaise, fever, lymph node swelling, achiness, and an upset stomach with diarrhea. Are these symptoms a function of my overwhelming anxiety, fear, and regret or are these symptoms of a new hsv2 exposure some 96 hours ago or so? (Obviously asking your expert judgement and not requesting a diagnosis). I have been tested regularly over the years after every single partner with type specific blood testing and have been hsv2 negative every time. I am hsv1 positive likely acquired from childhood. (cold sores I no longer suffer from).
Barring any obvious hand, face, genital lesions over the next month or so; when would a type specific blood test be most accurate? Shortest timeframe from now preferably. I'd prefer do this to make sure I'm not a danger to a future partner.
My apologies for extending this post and requesting your medical, and seemingly more common psychological assistance, for those of us suffering from seemingly irrational fears...
As an update, I have now begun to experience flu-like symptoms since my recent exposure to an hsv2 positive friend. I am experiencing fatigue, malaise, fever, lymph node swelling, achiness, and an upset stomach with diarrhea. Are these symptoms a function of my overwhelming anxiety, fear, and regret or are these symptoms of a new hsv2 exposure some 96 hours ago or so? (Obviously asking your expert judgement and not requesting a diagnosis). I have been tested regularly over the years after every single partner with type specific blood testing and have been hsv2 negative every time. I am hsv1 positive likely acquired from childhood. (cold sores I no longer suffer from).
Barring any obvious hand, face, genital lesions over the next month or so; when would a type specific blood test be most accurate? Shortest timeframe from now preferably. I'd prefer do this to make sure I'm not a danger to a future partner.
My apologies for extending this post and requesting your medical, and seemingly more common psychological assistance, for those of us suffering from seemingly irrational fears...
Doctor,
Thank you for your timely and comprehensive response. Your words have done much to dispel my fears and concerns. Thank you again for providing this post.
Thank you for your timely and comprehensive response. Your words have done much to dispel my fears and concerns. Thank you again for providing this post.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. Knowledge of contact to partners with HSV tends to arouse fears which are far, far out of proportion to the actual risk for infection. direct sexual contact with an infected, asymptomatic partner is estimated to lead to infection in less than 1 in 10,000 exposures, the risk for herpetic whitlow due to finger to genital contact is far lower due to differences in the skin on the finger, and I have never seen nor heard of transfer of infection on a person's hands to their genitals. Further, because your partner has not had an outbreak in over a decade, the risk for infection for you is likely to be lower still. I would say your exposure was no risk and urge you not to worry at all.
As for your specific questions:
how likely is it to acquire a genital hsv infection in this matter and how likely is it that I will acquire a hsv2 herpetic whitlow infection?
See above. Essentially zero.
If I do acquire a hand infection, does that mean I'm contagious with hsv2 to everyone I touch? Kids, family members, etc?
If you did get a whitlow, lesions would be potentially infectious. This possibility is not worth worrying about at all.
It's been only a couple of days and I'm planning on having a blood test done.
I would urge you not to get the blood test. Nothing good will come of it. You could have a false positive test result or possibly learn that you already have HSV and did not know it. The only diagnostic test I would recommend would be a PCR test if you develop a lesion in the 14 days after exposure. I am confident this will not happen. EWH
As for your specific questions:
how likely is it to acquire a genital hsv infection in this matter and how likely is it that I will acquire a hsv2 herpetic whitlow infection?
See above. Essentially zero.
If I do acquire a hand infection, does that mean I'm contagious with hsv2 to everyone I touch? Kids, family members, etc?
If you did get a whitlow, lesions would be potentially infectious. This possibility is not worth worrying about at all.
It's been only a couple of days and I'm planning on having a blood test done.
I would urge you not to get the blood test. Nothing good will come of it. You could have a false positive test result or possibly learn that you already have HSV and did not know it. The only diagnostic test I would recommend would be a PCR test if you develop a lesion in the 14 days after exposure. I am confident this will not happen. EWH
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
