[Question #8039] Low Risk HSV 2 Exposure, Prodrome Symptoms?

49 months ago

I had unprotected rough sex three weeks ago that resulted in friction burns, micro tears and dull ache in penis.

I am not concerned about that encounter and I tested negative 2 weeks later for gonorrhea, chlamydia & HIV (too early for HIV, I know, but they did it anyway).

What I am slightly concerned about is: one week after that encounter, I spent the night in bed with a friend who is HSV2 positive. She was tested positive during an outbreak and so did her partner.

I knew she was positive when we shared a bed. We slept in our underwear and spooned / caressed each other mildly. She had her period at the time and was wearing a pad, additionally. We did not kiss or touch genitals skin-to-skin.

I realize this is a low risk interaction, but from what I can tell it was not NO risk, particularly because I had friction burns and micro-tears on my genitals and nearby skin.

For the past two weeks I have had no typical looking HSV blisters (that I can see).

But I have experienced burning skin on the top of my upper right thigh, very slight burning when I urinate, and a mild ache in my penis shaft (which I assumed was from the earlier rough sex but it's been three weeks!).

I did have a single pimple appear in my arm pit, a single pimple on my buttocks, and two pimples in the butt crack (which happen to be exactly where my rear makes contact with my bicycle seat).

On the other hand, the weather has been hot and humid lately. And I did have a bout of Tinea three months ago. I am seeing a dermatologist tomorrow for a full body scan that I had scheduled months ago. I will update this post if the derm says anything before your response.

The nurses at the clinic I visited said they don't even test for HSV because everyone has it. And they did not recommend getting a test without symptoms.

Any advice?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

49 months ago

This is indeed no risk. There was no genital to genital contact from what you describe at all. It doesn't matter if you had micro-breaks in the skin - your genitals were not exposed to her genitals. That's how HSV 2 is transmitted. This is truly a zero risk experience. While people can have outbreaks of herpes anywhere in the boxer shorts area, only the genital and anal areas shed virus. The other skin is too thick to allow virus out when there is no outbreak.

Terri

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