Chances of transmission

[helpsneeded]

hello,
Short recap of everything.. boyfriend and I got negative IGG test in December after my doctor said I had herpes from only tingling on my libia minora (very general). We stoped talking I did not hook up with anyone he assured me he didn’t either since summer. fast forward to recently..He got a “friction burn” from up dry humping with clothes on. I have never heard of this but he said it has happened before with other girlfriends. We did not have sex but when he first complained about pain I did give him an unprotected blow job the night before. Fast forward to 5 days later he showed me the mark and it looked red, wet circle like sorta like a fresh rug burn. I only saw this after I gave him a hand job and he fingered me. 4 days later we went to the doctor so he could get a blood test. I saw the mark again and it was just a white scar looking thing. I asked him details about the mark he said it was just a friction burn… healed like one to. I wasn’t sure if i trusted him. However I sort of forgot about it and later that day I gave him unprotected oral sex, he gave me unprotected oral sex and we had protected sex. The next day his blood IGG test came back negative. I have no had any symptoms besides random tingling when I think about it but this has been going on since my last scare in late December. Its very random and only happens when im thinking about my genitals. My question is… if this was not a friction burn and in fact herpes what is my risk of getting it, with only a white mark (protected vaginal sex unprotected oral sex)?? Is my tingling without anything else a sign of herpes infection (even with negative IGG when this was happening and 8 weeks past last time having sex)??

[helpsneeded]

Tomorrow it will be 10 days past exposure with no symtoms, besides when i get the tingling from thinking about the situation… not lesions though. butt pimples but have had those for a month, doctor said it was folliculitis. recently got a new red pimple in between butt crack, has been that way for about 3 days. just red pimple no other symptoms. Does shedding only happen from the spot of the lesion.. could the infection go through the condom?? Would I have typical symtoms if this was herpes, especially since I am stressing out.

[helpsneeded]

Hi Terri,
Would you be able to tell the difference between a pimple and herpes? I have red pimple like bumps popping up on my butt (not in clusters). Ive had most of them for a month and they havent really changed. but i have new ones as well that are just red bumps… don’t know what they will do (did try popping them though). What are the transmission rates to butt skin? Also is a .9 IGG (1 +2) high?? both my boyfriend and I got that score. I have read that there is a false positive from 1.1-3.5 but .9 is still high??? Im honestly freaking out and haven’t been able to think about much other then this, so your expertise is extremely appreciated, thank you!!! Any and all information on herpes and blood test is really helpful, ive been doing research and have learned alot from MEDHELP Dr.HHH and Hook, as well as some others. Would you consider 12 weeks conclusive with IGG or 16 weeks is better??

[Terri Warren]

Herpes lesions on the buttocks are quite distinctive and look nothing like pimples. I doubt that your value is exactly 0.9 but rather there should be a less than sign in front of the .9 please remember that the IgG test misses 30% of HSV one infections. Were both of you only tested for HSV 2?

Terri

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Terri Warren.

[helpsneeded]

Hi Terri,
Thank you so much for your reply. As you can tell i am pretty anxious over this situation. The nurse said that I had .9 and I saw his test and it was .9… im not positive if there was a sign before it. We were tested for both HSV 1 and HSV 2. In December and he just got tested recently. He was negative both times but the first time I saw the score of .9. Do you think there was most likely a less then sign before it?? Why do some people have exactly the right number, is .9 high?? is herpes usually in clusters? What do you think the risk is of protected sex and unprotected oral? “IF” this was a sore but the skin was white..scar like (he is darker skin) and was covered by condom, am I at risk?? would this be considered healed skin, and no virus shedding most likely? I also had alot of pubic hair… does that decrease the chances?? This was two weeks ago, I haven’t had blisters. For primary infection is tingling/ itching by themselves considered an outbreak?? or is this always with blisters for primary. When I was “diagnosed” by my doctor I only had random tingling (I had alot of anxiety, got dignosed with group strep b month before and yeast during tingling) but had a negative test at 8 weeks, with no other symptoms.. and I had to demand for the blood test. Do herpes shed from the pubic area?? what are the risk of transmision to your butt, I hear its less because the skin is thicker. I know we didn’t have any genital to genital contact without a condom, in any it was extremly brief before i told him to put a condom on. Thank you again, I will renew my questions whenever you tell me to do so. I greatly appreciate all of your insight

[helpsneeded]

Thought I would make this a little more organized for you to answer.
1.If he tested twice, would HSV 1 be missed twice (If this was that)
2.Are there different IGG specific tests? If so are they all same reliablity?
3.Why do some people have exactly the right number, is .9 high for first test??
4.is herpes usually in clusters?
5. What do you think the risk is of my protected sex and unprotected oral?
6. “IF” this was a sore but the skin was white..scar like (he is darker skin) and was covered by condom during sex, am I at risk vaginally?would this be considered healed skin,+ less risk of virus shedding?
7. I had alot of pubic hair, does that decrease the chances of contracted the virus??
8.This was two weeks ago, I haven’t had blisters. (never have) If this was in fact the virus, would I most likely have symptoms by now? especially under these circumstances.
9.For primary infection, is tingling/ itching by themselves considered an outbreak?? or is this always followed by blisters for primary (was negative before and during these symptoms) So if I am only having those symptoms no blisters, do you think I am infected?
10.If itching/tingling can be the only sign.should I swab when this is happening?
11.what is the criteria for itching/tingling to be herpes related?
12.Does herpes shed from the pubic area?? where does it shed from??
13.What are the risk of transmission to your butt, I hear its less b/c the skin is thicker. I know we didn’t have any genital to genital contact without a condom (during this exposure), if any it was extremely brief.
14.Have you heard of friction burn on penis from dry humping with clothes?
15.How good are condoms? used from start to finish, barely any genital to genital contact. can the virus go through a condom?
16.If i did come back hsv1 because his test missed it, would it most likely be in my mouth because igave unprotected oral.
17. What do you recommend I do?
Anxiety is through the roof. Thank you

[Terri Warren]

You need to get a copy of the test and see if there is a “<" sign in front of the 0.9. There probably is, which means the test is negative. Rarely does someone come out at exactly 0.9 but even if he did, that is still negative. If the test is going to miss HSV 1 is will likely miss it each time he tests. Can you please get an exact result before I answer these 17 questions without any idea if he is negative or positive? Thanks Terri

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Terri Warren.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Terri Warren.

[helpsneeded]

Hi Terri,
We are unfortunately not on speaking terms so I can not get the exact results. But I defiantly know that his test was deemed as negative, We both got .9 so I am assuming like you that there was a < sign in front of it. Especially if he got it done twice. When I did look at the paper I did not see an exact number like some others say, like .07. Only say negative and .9. When I asked my nurse what my value was she said .9, I tried to look at my papers on patient portal but I could not see them.

[helpsneeded]

Also Does your enthic background change the accuracy of the test, such as being African American vs Causasian?? It has been 3 weeks since exposure and I have had no symptoms.

[Terri Warren]

I also think it is most likely that is was <.09 - many negatives now don't give exact values. To me, it sounds like you are both negative and OK. We don't believe that ethnicity changes the results of the test though the IgG test is not as accurate in Africans as it is in Americans so don't know if that is something to do with locations of origins or ethnicity. We have not seen this in people living in the US This is your final post on this subscription. If you have more questions, feel free to renew

Terri

[helpsneeded]

Hi Terri,
Thank you so much for your quick response I appreciate all the information I can get to further educate myself. I renewed my questions. Im assuming they now don’t give exact results because a negative is a negative and there is no need to know the exact result? I have a few more questions..I will renew my script if i need to for all questions to be answered.
1.Are you saying that Africans Americans in the US are accurate on the IgG?
2.is herpes usually in clusters?
3. “IF” this was a sore but the skin was white..scar like (he is darker skin) and was covered by condom during sex, am I at risk vaginally? ***would this be considered healed skin,+ less risk of virus shedding????
4. does pubic hair decrease the chances of contracted the virus??
5. For primary infection, is tingling/ itching by themselves considered an outbreak?? or is this always followed by blisters for primary (was negative before and during these symptoms) So if I am only having those symptoms no blisters, do you think I am infected?
6. Does herpes shed from the pubic area?? where does it shed from??
7.What are the risk of transmission to your butt/ thigh, I hear its less b/c the skin is thicker. I know we didn’t have any genital to genital contact without a condom (during this exposure), if any it was extremely brief.
8. Have you heard of friction burn on penis from dry humping with clothes? We are broken up, I don’t know for certain if he was with anyone else, but he did say he was not since the summer.
9. How good are condoms? used from start to finish, barely any genital to genital contact. can the virus go through a condom?
10. What do you recommend I do? Do you think I am may have the virus? I feel like I would have obvious symptoms from this contact if it did but I have had no blisters or anything (past 3 weeks) I am thinking of getting the western blot test at 16 weeks.. I have an IgG ready to go, should I get it at 12 weeks or is 6 weeks accurate for my situation?
Thank you!!

[Terri Warren]

1.Are you saying that Africans Americans in the US are accurate on the IgG?
yes

2.is herpes usually in clusters?
not always,no

3. “IF” this was a sore but the skin was white..scar like (he is darker skin) and was covered by condom during sex, am I at risk vaginally? ***would this be considered healed skin,+ less risk of virus shedding????

I don’t know how to answer this question

4. does pubic hair decrease the chances of contracted the virus??
no

5. For primary infection, is tingling/ itching by themselves considered an outbreak?? or is this always followed by blisters for primary (was negative before and during these symptoms) So if I am only having those symptoms no blisters, do you think I am infected?

A primary typically includes lesions

6. Does herpes shed from the pubic area?? where does it shed from??

the labia, vagina and anus

7.What are the risk of transmission to your butt/ thigh, I hear its less b/c the skin is thicker. I know we didn’t have any genital to genital contact without a condom (during this exposure), if any it was extremely brief.

No transmission risk from these areas when no lesions are present

8. Have you heard of friction burn on penis from dry humping with clothes? We are broken up, I don’t know for certain if he was with anyone else, but he did say he was not since the summer.

That is possible, yes

9. How good are condoms? used from start to finish, barely any genital to genital contact. can the virus go through a condom?

Condoms reduce transmission by 96%

10. What do you recommend I do? Do you think I am may have the virus? I feel like I would have obvious symptoms from this contact if it did but I have had no blisters or anything (past 3 weeks) I am thinking of getting the western blot test at 16 weeks.. I have an IgG ready to go, should I get it at 12 weeks or is 6 weeks accurate for my situation?

I think an IgG at 12 weeks is perfect.

Thank you!!

[helpsneeded]

Hi Terri,
Thank you so much for you answers! I just have a few more questions
1. I was wondering how do you know after an outbreak when herpes is no longer highly contagious?
2. Is that skin (under scab) considered virus free?
3. is GHSV1 less likely to be transmitted during protected sex when someone may be having herpes symtoms? So If I had protected sex with a male that had GHSV1 and was having symtoms would I be less likely to get it because it is hsv1 and not 2.
4. is tingling around vagina/ on libia minior/ legs/ feet related to herpes? with no other symptoms- usually lesions/other symtoms would most likely follow if it was, especially for primary infection correct?
5. Does herpes shed from the pubic area?- like if a guy was doing doggy style could he shed to a women’s butt? and she could develop lesions there?
6. The virus can’t go through a condom correct?
7. Since I have been visually inspecting myself and had a doctor do an internal exam If i was infected I would most likely see something 3 weeks past exposure? – i’m worried about asymptomatic infection but I have read that this is not as common rather people just miss a mild outbreak or don’t connect the symtoms… since I am looking and aware I would probably have seen/ notice something?

Thank you so much Terri, you have really helped me alot. Not only to ease my worries but to further educate myself and help educate others. I will most certainly get the IgG 12 weeks past exposure.

[Terri Warren]

1. I was wondering how do you know after an outbreak when herpes is no longer highly contagious?

Viral shedding can happen at any time with both low and high viral loads.

2. Is that skin (under scab) considered virus free?

No

3. is GHSV1 less likely to be transmitted during protected sex when someone may be having herpes symtoms? So If I had protected sex with a male that had GHSV1 and was having symtoms would I be less likely to get it because it is hsv1 and not 2.

NO
4. is tingling around vagina/ on libia minior/ legs/ feet related to herpes? with no other symptoms- usually lesions/other symtoms would most likely follow if it was, especially for primary infection correct?

Probably not but we cannot be ce4rtain

5. Does herpes shed from the pubic area?- like if a guy was doing doggy style could he shed to a women’s butt? and she could develop lesions there?
NO
6. The virus can’t go through a condom correct?
Correct
7. Since I have been visually inspecting myself and had a doctor do an internal exam If i was infected I would most likely see something 3 weeks past exposure? – i’m worried about asymptomatic infection but I have read that this is not as common rather people just miss a mild outbreak or don’t connect the symtoms… since I am looking and aware I would probably have seen/ notice something?

Probably , yes

This is your final post on this subscription. If you have more questions, feel free to renew

Terri

[helpsneeded]

Hello Terri,
I purchase some more questions.
It has been a five weeks since my last exposure.. still have no clear blisters only a little itching and tingling variously in feet and vaginal area. I recently looked in my mouth and have a view blood blisters on my lower inner lip and an area right near this that is sorta like a sore… like an open sore/ canker. Doesn’t hurt but I can feel it in my mouth and when i run my tongue over it. I just noticed it today. Also last week I had chapped lips and there was an one area that was sore and had one circle that was clearish skin and I picked at it.. it cleared within a few day like maybe 3?? and I got another one, haven’t had one since my chapped lips healed
My questions:
1. Does herpes in the mouth represent in this way? How does it represent in the mouth?
2. How common is asymptomatic symptoms?? ***I am concerned about asymptomatic symptoms but I have read from Dr.HHH that asymptomatic symptoms are not that common and in fact someone who was not previously infected, and is aware and looking would most likely see something 2-20 rarely 3 weeks past exposure.. and if you do not you can basically be pretty confident you were not infected. What is your expert opinion on this??

Thank you again for answering all of my questions and for everything you have done!

[Terri Warren]

1. Does herpes in the mouth represent in this way? How does it represent in the mouth?

No, it doesn’t present in this way. Normally, if herpes is going to be around the mouth it will be on the edge of the lip or sometimes in the nostrol.

2. How common is asymptomatic symptoms?? ***I am concerned about asymptomatic symptoms but I have read from Dr.HHH that asymptomatic symptoms are not that common and in fact someone who was not previously infected, and is aware and looking would most likely see something 2-20 rarely 3 weeks past exposure.. and if you do not you can basically be pretty confident you were not infected. What is your expert opinion on this??

I disagree. 80% of those who test positive for HSV 2 antibody deny genital herpes symptoms.

Terri

[helpsneeded]

hi Terri,
Thank you for your reply.

So i can be infected and have absolutely no symptoms… wow that is scary considering blood test are not checked for hsv, no wonder transmission is continuing.

Is it rare to have hsv only inside the mouth and never on the actual lips?

When is the skin considered “healed” after an outbreak.. is the virus still in the frame of HIGHLY contagious when the skin is no longer open, but there is still a mark were the sore was? (scar like)

Would you consider only genital tingling/ itching herpes symptoms?

Do you believe that these people actually had no symptoms or just mild?? That statistic makes me very nervous that having no symptoms is not as reassuring as I previously thought.
Thank you Terri, I appreciate your help with my questions.

[Terri Warren]

Yes, rare to be only inside .
The skin is healed when new skin replaces the damaged skin but even this new skin can shed virus when no symptoms are present.
Lots of things can cause genital itching – it may or may not be a herpes symptom.
Yes, I believe this!

Terri

[helpsneeded]

HI Terri,
Just wanted to clarify your answer that it is healed when new skin replaces the damaged skin.. does that mean the scared skin is considered healed.. or still in the process. I understand that no matter what the skin is still contagious but would that scarring phase still be highly contagious.

Ill be honest i am extremely worried about my situation lots of anxiety, and i still have another 6 weeks to wait until my igg. He had a white scar on his head (if this was herpes I would assume it was hsv 1 since the test miss 30% and we were both negative for 1&2) im nervous i could have caught it and not be displaying symptoms. (This skin was open 3 days earlier) Like i said before we wore a condom and had no genital to genital touching without a condom but I did give unprotected oral. So if I was to get it would it most likely be oral I would be assuming. Can you please give me opinion on the how high risk this encounter was for genital and oral considering the “healing skin” and the possibility is was hsv.

One more question I know this is a form for hsv but does hpv cause pain on the right lower abdominal? Do it usually cause any symptoms at all?- I understand if you can answer this one

Thank you Terri

[Terri Warren]

I doubt that you acquired herpes in this situation. I think you might be worrying way too much about this.
HPV does not cause lower abdominal or any pain.
This is your final post on this subscription. I think I’ve given you all the help I can here.

Terri

[Author]

Posts