is this herpes?

[mills013]

Dr. H:
Back in July, I had unprotected sex one night. I am male. About a week later I got sick and then two weeks after that, so three weeks after the encounter I experienced painful discharge. I tested negative for clamydia and gonnorrea, but was treated with azithromycin and did not have any more discharge or problems. Because I was worried about herpes, I got a herpes select test done 7 weeks after the encounter. This came up negative for HSV (I know that I needed to wait four months to be sure). Until today, I had noticed no symptoms of herpes. Today, I noticed two painless red circles on my penis' shaft. These circles are not directly next to each other, perhaps seperated by an inch. the circles are a little smaller than a dime in diameter. They do not penetrate the skin, they are just red circles that are very visable. They had flaky dead skin surrounding them. Thus, I am wondering, does this sound like herpes? Should I get tested again?

Thank you

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, HSV lesions are typically painful.  EWH

[mills013]

Thank you very much. The comment was helpful. If it is permissible, I would appreciate it if you could tell me if herpes legions are usually associated with pain/soreness, or, rather, if the legions are commonly painless, as is the case with mine.

Thanks, and that will be the last question I ask.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  The lesions you describe are highly unlikely to be herpes. Typically herpes lesions appear 4-10 days following exposure and, as I suspect you know, appear as small "water blisters".  In your case the lesions have appeared far too long after your exposure to be herpes, the description you provide does not sound like herpes and you have a negative blood test for HSV-2 7 weeks after the exposure at a time when over 2/3s of persons who had acquired HSV-7 weeks earlier would have positive tests.  Putting all of this together, the chance that this is HSV is close to zero.

What you describe could well be a fungal skin infection or some other dermatological process.  It does not sound like HSV.  I urge you not to worry.

Hope this comment is helpful to you.  Take care.  EWH

[mills013]

I forgot to mention one piece of information that could be helpful. I have tested positive for HSV-1 before. So, I thought maybe this could account for not really seeing any symptoms, and finally seeing some mild symptoms now, months after the encounter.