[Question #11245] HSV 2 from kiss and then self-inoculation? I got a rash
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16 months ago
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Hi Terri.
1. What's my risk of getting HSV2 from a kiss and then self-inoculating? I kissed Person A on Mar 10; I felt tingling on my lips the next day, and two days later, I saw a rash on my genitals. I worry I may have touched my lip while the stinging was happening (if it was an outbreak) and transferred it to my genitals. The tingling did not cause sores on my lip, but I saw the rash the next day.
I'm particularly concerned about this as I've had oral HSV1 for a while, so it should be pretty unlikely that I'll get HSV1 on my genitals again. So if the rash from my genitals was HSV, then it may likely have been HSV2. The rash disappeared around 4 days after I saw it, then it came back two weeks later and disappeared after 4-5 days again. Both times, it didn't hurt, scab, or blister.
2. Why am I getting cold sores more frequently after kissing? I kissed Person B in January, and then in April. I got cold sores both times. They tell me they've never had them, and they've never had sex too
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
16 months ago
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The timing on what you describe does not fit at all with HSV 2 infection. First, HSV 2 is rarely oral, nor does HSV show up the next day, nor would it be likely at all that you would transfer the virus from your mouth to your genitals in one day. Most people would not described HSV 2 as a rash - rather, it would present as sores in the genitals. Since you already have HSV 1, that is the risk from kissing, but not for you since you already have this. Cold sores four months apart are certainly not uncommon, so I doubt that these two recurrences that you've had have anything to do with the kissing.
Terri
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16 months ago
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Hi Terri,
Thanks! Extra info. I'm a guy. I say rash because it didn't blister, but it looked bumpy. I'd had unprotected sex with Person A twice in August last year, so I figured if I was going to get anything, I'd have gotten it then, not from a kiss, but tests say I didn't. She says she's never had HSV symptoms.
I'd like to eliminate the possibility so I can move on. I did antibody tests 3 and 17 days after the kiss on Mar 10. HSV1: IgG+/IgM- / HSV2: IgG-/IgM-. It's been 6 weeks now. How soon can I test again to be sure?
Possibly related symptoms I felt.
- A bump on my left butt cheek and the right side of my scrotum. It felt like boils, tbh, and they left without blistering
- A slight fever, this only started after I saw the rash. Might have been the anxiety.
- Headache a few times.
- Pain in right leg. Didn't last long.
- No lymph node swelling in groin.
- Boils in my armpits, small one in my nostril, and a stye. Dealing with staph Aureus UTI for >7 months so that might be causing the boils.
- Area where the "rash" was also looks wrinkly sometimes.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
16 months ago
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By 6 weeks out from an exposure, 70% of those who are going to be positive on the IgG test, will be positive.
None of the symptoms that you describe above concern me that this could be herpes
17 days out from the experience would only provide with you with a baseline result, nothing else reliable
Terri
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15 months ago
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Hi Terri,
Thank you for your responses so far. Three more questions please.
1. Another rash has formed on my genitals. No pain. I practically watched it form over the past 2 hours. I did an antibody test (IgG) 4 days ago (6 weeks after I spotted the first rash) and it came back negative for GHSV 2 but with another rash forming, my concerns are back. There doesn't appear to be any blisters. Can I get a PCR test done on this? Do they just swab the top or do they have to puncture the rash? The PCR tests are pretty expensive where I am so I want to test when I have the best odds for a correct results.
2. Considering the frequency I've reported rashes at (Week 0, 3, and now week 6), is this a typical recurrence rate for HSV?
3. Did patients you've seen every report a wrinkly, moist-looking area remaining in the spot where their rash developed? The area where my earlier rashes developed doesn't appear to have gone back normal and kept appearing wrinkly.
Thank you for your responses so far. Three more questions please.
1. Another rash has formed on my genitals. No pain. I practically watched it form over the past 2 hours. I did an antibody test (IgG) 4 days ago (6 weeks after I spotted the first rash) and it came back negative for GHSV 2 but with another rash forming, my concerns are back. There doesn't appear to be any blisters. Can I get a PCR test done on this? Do they just swab the top or do they have to puncture the rash? The PCR tests are pretty expensive where I am so I want to test when I have the best odds for a correct results.
2. Considering the frequency I've reported rashes at (Week 0, 3, and now week 6), is this a typical recurrence rate for HSV?
3. Did patients you've seen every report a wrinkly, moist-looking area remaining in the spot where their rash developed? The area where my earlier rashes developed doesn't appear to have gone back normal and kept appearing wrinkly.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
15 months ago
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1. Another rash has formed on my genitals. No pain. I practically watched it form over the past 2 hours. I did an antibody test (IgG) 4 days ago (6 weeks after I spotted the first rash) and it came back negative for GHSV 2 but with another rash forming, my concerns are back. There doesn't appear to be any blisters. Can I get a PCR test done on this? Do they just swab the top or do they have to puncture the rash? The PCR tests are pretty expensive where I am so I want to test when I have the best odds for a correct results.
Most people would not describe herpes as a rash, but rather as sores. A generalized rash is likely NOT herpes. A clinician could tell you more accurately whether it would be worth the money, given the appearance of the rash, to do a PCR swab or not. Please accept their advice on this one.
2. Considering the frequency I've reported rashes at (Week 0, 3, and now week 6), is this a typical recurrence rate for HSV?
2. Considering the frequency I've reported rashes at (Week 0, 3, and now week 6), is this a typical recurrence rate for HSV?
It is not
3. Did patients you've seen every report a wrinkly, moist-looking area remaining in the spot where their rash developed? The area where my earlier rashes developed doesn't appear to have gone back normal and kept appearing wrinkly.
3. Did patients you've seen every report a wrinkly, moist-looking area remaining in the spot where their rash developed? The area where my earlier rashes developed doesn't appear to have gone back normal and kept appearing wrinkly.
Nope, but that appearance can come from a fungal infection.
Terri
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