Two negative tests results – next steps?

[Johnson123]

Hi Terri,

I am male. In December I had unprotected sex with a girl who had asymptomatic HSV2.

I got some red bumps/blisters around 40 days days after the encounter. They were all spread apart not bunched. When squeezed very hard and “popped” only blood would come out. The bumps didn’t really go away until around 5 weeks after they formed.

I got HSV2 IGG test 11 weeks after exposure. It was negative. No index value.

After shaving again I saw another small blister form. I went to get it PCR swabbed around 5 days after it formed. The doctor said it doesn’t look like HSV2 and more like an ingrown hair. She was able to pop the blister and scrape a lot with the PCR swab test. She said “if you do have herpes this would come out positive”. The PCR was negative.

Now I have a swollen lymph node in my right groin. It seems to be infected or something because pus is coming from it. This seems like a lot of common signs of HSV2, but my tests are all negative.

1. Should I get another IGG test or rely on the two negative tests I’ve already received (now 16 weeks after exposure)

2. How accurate is PCR test? I got it swabbed around 3-5 days after the blister fully formed. The blister was not crusting over at all when I got it swabbed. Still looked fresh.

3. What could be the reason my lymph nodes are swollen/pus coming out of one of them?

Thank you!

[Terri Warren]

Wait, you have pus coming from a lymph node? Are you sure? I certainly hope you had that evaluated.
Your symptoms do NOT sound like herpes to me, and the provider who saw you and did the PCR should be in a far better place to know if this looked like herpes. Also, herpes lesions don’t last five weeks.

I am extremely concerned that you have pus coming out of a lymph node – not because of herpes but because this would be EXTREMELY rare and concerning.

Have you looked at pictures of something called mollusum contagiosum? Could the lesions be that.

You could do another IgG test just to be more certain if you are still concerned or the western blot for greater accuracy

Terri

[Johnson123]

The swelling has subsided in lymph nodes and no more pus. It has been resolved after a week. I know herpes causes lymph node inflammation in groin area so I just assumed that was the reason. I have pictures and you can feel see a small bump so I will go get it checked out. It could potentially be mollocusm contagiosum.

Do you think the lymph node inflammation could’ve been caused by HSV2??

[Terri Warren]

NO, I don’t, not if it involved some kind of discharge from the lymph node. So many layers of skin must have been disrupted for pus to come out of your groin. Honestly, this is a very significant problem and could have resulted from some a much more serious infection. I think to just blow it off is an error. The node, as you described it, would not be caused by herpes, no.

Terri

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