General Questions when on the lookout for herpes

[generalquestion]

I just had a couple general questions first, I think, while I try to digest all the great info on your site!

I was curious about intial symptoms in a first occurence vs a reoccurence. I read that low-grade fever is a symptom of herpes, but does that only happen in the initial primary outbreak or have you seem it in reoccurence. Any other symptoms really just during primary outbreaks?

I read if you notice lesions, PCR is much better than culture, but how good is that? Do we know any numbers on the sensitivity of PCR?

–and one more off topic STD question I had hoped to get youur opinion on, Terri. I have been reading about HPV and high risk types as well. This one is more specific. I had a partner I “69ed” with a year or so after a partner who had been treated for dysplasia. I wondered what was my risk for transmitting HR HPV to my 69 partner…

[Terri Warren]

Sometimes people can run a fever with herpes – more likely with new infection than recurrence but a person can certainly run a fever for many reasons. Yes, PCR is more sensitive than culture for swabbing lesions to see if there is herpes virus present. Since PCR is the most sensitive test we have, we have no comparison that is superior so we don’t know the actual sensitivity of PCR, only as it compares to less sensitive tests.

I’m confused about the HPV – first, are you male or female? Did you give oral sex to someone who had high risk HPV, is that what you are saying?

Terri

[generalquestion]

Thank you for the fast response, Terri! I am male, and a few years ago I had a female sex partner who had a double whammy of hsv2 and prior LEEP procedure due to hr hpv. I got a neg igg blood test from quest after we split up for herpes and put it behind me. Of course I dont know if I have hpv or if my recent partner I 69ed with was in danger.

I had one small scare last year, (when I wasnt dating anyone) when I had one (and perhaps a second next to it) pea sized lesion in the fold of my leg (pubic hair area) right inside the crease. My only concern is the nature of the red bump (there was actually a second very small bump next to it near hair follicle). To me, it behaved like a pimple. It did not have a white head (pustule?) but it was red (papule?), felt solid in the skin, and a bit tender. I did ‘pop’ it and (sorry for being gross) it popped with some force the way a tense pimple would. I am not certain but I think I saw a very small bit of white fluid (pus?) that maybe was the plug in the hair follicle? It was accompanied by clear fluid. Squeezing a second time expressed blood. I have read clear fluid is more suggestive of herpes, but it seems to me I’ve had pimples on other parts of my body express clear fluid. I can recall a similar bump on the opposite leg crease ‘pop’ with a significant amount of white pus. I went to my urgent care over it, and I had a 100.4 temp (I dont remember how they took it) but I was anxious and probably had my heart racing from nerves. Anyway, the doctor was confident it was just infected hair follicles and if my memory is right went as far as to touch the lesion with his bare hands. I wasnt exposed or anything, as I was able raise the leg of my shorts enough for him to see the lesion without actually taking my shorts off. I had hoped for your view.

[Terri Warren]

The lesion that you describe does not sounds like herpes to me, no
How long after you broke up with the woman with herpes did you get your HSV 2 antibody test?
And no, I doubt that the woman you gave oral sex to is at risk for high risk HPV from this contact

Terri

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Terri Warren.

[generalquestion]

probably six months after we broke up. i know waiting for long enough time is important. I did test positive for hsv1 but I think that was from childhood. how concerned should I be for the 100.4 fever… are there any benign reasons to have that high of a temp?

[generalquestion]

Maybe a slighgtly personal question, Terri… If you were in my shoes, how confident would you feel about your status and disclosing to future partners?

[Terri Warren]

I would believe the test and move on with HSV 2 not being a concern. People can have fevers for any number of reasons – don’t jump to herpes as the cause.

Terri

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