HERPES

Fungal Infection or Herpes

Dear Dr. Rob:

I’ve been married for 3 years and with the same man for 8 years, we have a 3 year old son. Last August, the hottest day of the year, I was out walking and was very itchy. I had a slight tingling sensation later on that night, and looked down to find about 5 blisters in my Perineal l area. Around the same time, I noticed that I had the night sweats for about a week straight and my entire body has been itchy from head to toe. I’m also experiencing awful tiny electrical shock sensations throughout my entire body. I have been tested positive for HSV 1 and 2 after arguing to get the test done. My doctor kept telling me this was all in my head and that the she thought that I had folliculitis. I have only had one blister on my anal area since, broke to form a tiny lesion and another blistery like thing on my waist, about this size of the tip of your thumb – does this sound normal? On my pubic area I become very red and irritated and itch for almost 2 weeks straight, it seems to come and go – the funny thing is, one time I used Cortizone, which I know is a big no no and it seemed to relieve the itch. I do not have any blisters appearing, rather it’s just red and if I squeeze one, it seems to secrete puss (like a pimple, not liquid. My husband has tested negative. Is it possible after all these years I have this going on? I’m a mess over this. I appreciate your help – does this even sound like herpes – could the test have come out false positive? Although I think I have it, I’m scared this could be something else. What do you think?
Sincerely,

Sick of obsessing

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Dr. Rob’s Response:

Dear Sick of Obsessing:

The initial lesion sounds very much like herpes, although I can’t say whether it is Herpes Type 1 or Herpes Type 2.  You state your husband is negative, but don’t tell me the test he has taken.  I would suggest you both have a Herpes Select Test done, which will distinguish between Herpes Type 1 and Herpes Type 2.  As you will know if you have read some of the other responses, Herpes Type 1 and Herpes Type 2 can both occur in the vaginal area, so it’s impossible to tell which one it is to start with.  Also the fact that your husband was tested, I presume quite a while ago, suggests it wasn’t the Herpes Select Test and therefore was nonspecific and perhaps could have missed something. 

Your current itching, however, does not sound like herpes, but more like a superficial fungal infection or a Taenial infection which could respond to the cortisone.  I would not suggest doing that without knowing what is going on.

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