HERPES

Positive Herpes Type 1

Dear Dr. Rob:

I had sex without protection with my ex boy friend four months ago. I noticed he had a bump on his penis. Since then, I have a burning sensation between my legs, body ache and fatigue, and these symptoms don’t go away; I thought about herpes. I am not under any medication and I am 28 years old. I took herpes blood test Type I and II. I also took STD, HIV and syphilis tests. I was positive Herpes Type I, but negative Type II. The other tests were negative. I haven’t had any outbreaks yet. What are the possibilities that I got genital herpes? The general doctor tells me I shouldn’t worry about genital herpes since I was negative Herpes Type II. Is he correct?
Now, I have another boy friend and we haven’t had intercourse yet but I want to be sexual intimidate with him. I read that skin to skin contact is very contagious; although, you don’t have any visible outbreak. What about vaginal discharge?

My sister has a baby of 3 moths old. Do I need to take precaution being around the baby? I hug the baby a lot and change diapers, but I wash my hands. I am really worried about this disease and I don’t know if I have genital herpes or not.

---

Dr. Rob’s Response:

Dear 28 year old with Positive Herpes Type 1:

Your doctor is correct in the sense that you shouldn’t worry about Herpes
Type 2, but it really depends how long between the potential of catching it,
that is the incident, and when the test was taken.  It can take as long as 3 months for the antibody to turn positive.  If it has been less than that time, I would suggest repeating the test in 3 months.

You state that you have a burning sensation between your legs, with body
ache and fatigue, but no lesions.  You don’t have to have lesions, so it could still be Herpes Type 2.  It can come from skin to skin contact, even without an outbreak. You do not have to take special precautions beyond that which you are doing when seeing your sister’s baby.  

---