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)
It sounds absolutely nothing like herpes to me
2) could this be my immune system responding to an HSV infection?
When people get that immune response to herpes, it is called erythema multiforme and it looks just like targets – look it up. This doesn’t sound like that to me from your description
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?
The IgG test for HSV 1 misses 30% of HSV 1 infections compared to the western blot. it is also possible that your nose sores were not HSV 1. A western blot would clarify this for you.
4) in your many years of practice has anybody with a new HSV infection present symptoms like these?
NO
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)
well, for one thing, they aren’t spread out all over the body, that’s not the case with HSV.
The best thing for you to do right now is to go in to see a clinician and have your bumps evaluated – let me know what they think
Terri