Reply To: Red bumps, high anxiety

[Orlandosmith]

Thanks for the the response. So the initial “bumps” that started on the penis and scrotum have now spread all over my body and are behaving like itchy mosquito bites. Some of my back, thighs, hand, chest, and 4 more on scrotum. I don’t have bed bugs and haven’t been exposed to bugs. I read somewhere about an immune response to the virus can create rashes or bug bites type of itchy bumps.

1) this started with very small flat mush red bumps, one on the head of the penis, one on the side of the scrotum and one on the shaft…they didn’t itch at first but the ones on the body did..since these itchy bites started on the penis/scrotum and spread to other body parts does it seem like herpes? (No sores/lesions, just very textbook bug bite looking bumps that really itch)

2) could this be my immune system responding to an HSV infection?

3) I definitely had nasal sores as a teenager, how come I tested equivocal on my last hsv1 test? Would it be safe to assume I’m a carrier of hsv1 even at equivocal results?

4) in your many years of practice has anybody with a new HSV infection present symptoms like these?

5) what would be considered atypical herpes? Is there a criteria that needs to be met to be considered herpes? (Painful, watery blister, open sores)