Oral Herpes or Tonsilitis?

[Gmm567Spectator]

Hi,

1 week ago I had a sex with a semi new partner. A few days later I started to feel run down and had a sore throat. Went to the urgent care because my tonsil was huge and had white pus. Strep test negative but they gave me augmentin. My lymph nodes in neck were also large. After 4 days of augmentin no improvement- so my doctor gave me a steroid Medrol dose pack. After 2 more days on the steroids my tonsils are going down and the pus is gone. But I don’t like the fact that I’m unsure of what caused/is causing my illness and so I started to think what if it is related to sex.
1. Could it be oral hsv 1 on the tonsils? Does hsv 1 present like this? Or is it likely that I am being paranoid and that it is a bacteria or viral infection? I have been tested for both HSV1 & 2 before and have never had a cold sore. There are/were no ulcers or marks anywhere else on my throat. Only enlarged tonsils with pus. Please let me know your thoughts as I am now panicking it might have been that!

[Terri WarrenKeymaster]

Were you the giver of oral sex to this new partner? If yes, did you share that information with the provider that you saw?
It could be HSV but if so, I would expect possibly external oral lesions as well though that is not required.
I think I would recommend that you redo the HSV antibody test in about 6 weeks and see what happens. I think it is far more likely that you have a bacterial infection of the throat. If you were not the giver of oral sex to this person but only did kissing and intercourse, HSV is also a possibility.

Terri

[Amanda345Participant]

I did give oral sex & I did tell this to my doctor. He did not seem concerned he swabbed me for chlamydia & gonorrhea although he said it would be very unlikely – just in case which came back negative. He did not seem to be concerned at all about herpes & said if I had herpes it would be on my lips & would not cause just tonsilitis- there would likely be some kind of blisters or ulcers in my throat not just enlarged tonsils. I also am tending to think now that it would very very strange for herpes to show up but nothing at all on my lips ?

[Amanda345Participant]

Sorry I some how logged in with a different email which brings up a different account- but is still me.

[Terri WarrenKeymaster]

I actually don’t agree with your doctor. I have seen cases of tonsillitis due to herpes with no external lesions, but they are rare. You may wish to repeat the IgG testing for HSV for greater clarity about 6 weeks out from the sexual encounter. Or you could ask that partner to be tested for clarity as well.

Terri

[Gmm567Spectator]

Got it. So it technically COULD happen but is rare? Okay. I’ll get the test in 6 weeks but will expect it to be probably be negative.

[Terri WarrenKeymaster]

I think that is a correct interpretation – possible but quite uncommon without external symptoms.

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Terri

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