[Question #2740] [Question #2701] Herpes infection scare: follow-up

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95 months ago
Hi Terri,
Apologies, but I have to follow up on my previous interaction with you. I have had some pain in my arms, above the elbows which seems like a muscular and/or bone pain. I have also had pain just above my wrists(on the back side) which seems like a nerve pain. It is not high, but I feel it when I try to lift a heavy object or try to make a tight fist.I feel twitching once in a while around the fingers of my left hand as well.  Can these be the symptoms of herpes?  Also, I had one question about the NAAT tests that were done. The lesions weren't unroofed (I don't think it was possible also, given that they were not much raised), but were just swabbed. Will you expect the results to be accurate in this scenario? Thanks in advance.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
95 months ago
No, these are definitely not symptoms of genital herpes - not at all.  Swabbing the lesions is adequate, the test is very sensitive.

Terri
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95 months ago
Thank you Terri. I read somewhere that cleaning the lesions with alcoholic solution can inactivate the virus and affect the results of viral culture. I had used a wipe for clean-catch sample (not vigorously) on my penis head around an hour before the swab collection. Could it have impacted the NAAT test as well?  
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95 months ago
Terri, 
I had another question. If the virus were to enter through inner thigh skin, would you expect the lesions to appear there? 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
95 months ago
possible.  But the virus can't enter the inner thigh skin - it is too thick

Terri
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95 months ago
Tank you Terri, sorry my question wasn't clear. Can the virus enter through cuts on inner thigh skin, and not result in lesions on inner thigh, and instead cause lesions just on penis head?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
94 months ago
No, that is not a reasonable worry nor a way to acquire herpes.

Terri
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