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What Does This Swab Test Showing Rare Skin Flora Indicate?

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Posted on Sat, 29 Aug 2015
Question: I had a swab test done in my penis hole and the results came back, rare growth mixed skin flora isolated. What does that mean? should I be worried?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (25 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Specimen contaminated with normal skin bacterias

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thank you for choosing HCM to post your query,

I read carefully your query and understand your concern.

The answer you got is very unspecific. But what its more important is that the specimen that you have taken, was not taken properly and it has been contaminated with normal bacteria of the skin.

My recommendation would be to consider repeating the swab and maybe the doctor/nurse/a medical professional should take the specimen next time.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you need any more clarifications. If not, please kindly close and rate the answer.

Take care.
Dr. Papaqako
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (2 hours later)
Could a person get HPV from a herpes outbreak? How long does it take for the warts to appear after the first encounter? Can warts be inside the penis hole and not on the outside of the penis hole?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
HPV and herpes are two different infections

Detailed Answer:
Hello again dear,

I will answer your questions one at a time.

-- No, a person can not get HPV from a herpes outbreak, because they are different viruses that causes the different infections. But also, a person who is sexually active, with multiple partners has the same risk that if has taken one of them, to take the other as well.
-- Warts typically appear within 3 weeks to 6 months after sexual contact with an infected person, but they can also take years to appear.
-- Yes, warts can be right inside the entrance of the penis. Though, most men with HPV don't have any symptoms in general.

Hope this is helpful.

Take care,
Dr. Papaqako
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (18 hours later)
Are glands sometimes visible when looking inside the urethra? I see white dot like things on the lower side; just the lower side, when I open the penis hole. No burning when I pee, or itching, or pain.
Do I have to worry about long term skin damage from a ulcer burn, after having a herpes outbreak?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (19 hours later)
Brief Answer:
No symptoms- less likely to have a problem.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

Thank you for asking a follow-up question.

If you have no symptoms of burning, itching, pain or difficulty when peeing, then you should not worry about it. The white dot may part of the normal anatomy. In male, something foreign in that area, would give immediately symptoms.

According your next question I will need some more clarification because it not clear what you mean with it. Is it a burn wound, a herpes wound, or in a burn wound you had a herpes outbreak?
Also, how many time ago you had the wound? How big it is and in which area?

Depending on the type of burn it may leave a scar.
And also herpes gives in itself a scar if it is complicated with a bacterial infection or if you didn't treat well the scar.

Can you make a picture of the wound, and I will try to evaluate it from here.

Let me know the answers of the questions needed and I would be happy to answer.

Take care,
Dr. Papaqako
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (1 hour later)
Herpes outbreak- XXXXXXX 5, bumps occur; XXXXXXX 14, bumps burst they created painful ulcers that burned the skin; july 20, no scars that I can see, but still a little tender where the shaft meets the penis head on the left side where the skin was burned by the ulcer.
My question after all this, can the areas that are affected by the ulcers in which burned the skin, still be tender after 1 month and a week? And do I have to worry about long term damage to the skin where the areas where burned by the ulcers?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (19 hours later)
Brief Answer:
More sensible then visible

Detailed Answer:
Hello again dear user,

Herpes wont allways leave a scar, but since it affects the nerves, it may be sensitive and cause pain until 6 months after the outbreak. So the skin damage wont be visible maybe, but it will be sensitive there.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (2 hours later)
How accurate are antibody herpes test? How long of a time frame from when a person contracts the virus , until it shows up on the test, for accuracy?
Can a person having the herpes #2 virus, even contracting it for the first time never have an outbreak? Or will there be outbreak at some point?
Is swabbing the open soar the best herpes test?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (24 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Answers of the questions- Let me know if you need more clarification

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Apologies for the late reply,

I read carefully your questions and will answer them one at a time.

A person can get the herpes 2 virus, in a contact from the first time, as soon as the contact is with that type of virus. All herpes virus will have outbreaks at some point.

There are 3 possible tests that have different sensitivity and specificity, and a swab from base of genital lesion (the base of fluid in the vesicles) and can be tested by: 1)viral culture 2)herpes simplex virus antigen detection 3)polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of HSV DNA.

Tests to diagnose herpes often show results that are false for the infection when the person has it, or a person results positive, but he may not have it. For this reason, often the tests needs to be repeated several times to confirm or rule out herpes.
So, in other words, you maybe need to do one of the tests and confirm with the other. Symptoms are more important sometimes therefore. They will appear 4-7 days after sexual exposure, and that is the right time to take the swab material from the base of the lesion or anytime a person have an outbreak with visible vesicles.

Hope I answered all your questions.

Take care.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (8 days later)
I am most curious about the herpes antibody test. How accurate and how long for the results to show on the test? How accurate is the antibody test?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (25 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Herpes IgG tests are accurate

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for the follow up.

There are two different types of herpes antibody tests, IgM and IgG.

Both are very sensitive but IgM is less accurate in identifying a freshly acquired infection with no symptoms yet. Also, IgM antibody can cross react with viral antibodies and give false readings.

IgG is specific and more reliable antibody test with better accuracy.

Both the tests can be positive only after 2 -6 weeks from the time of infection.

regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (24 hours later)
Is there anything to take or put on the skin area that was affected by the herpes ulcers to strengthen the skin?

doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Nothing has proven to help in this stage.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again dear user,

Unfortunately there is anything that will work locally, as far as I am aware.
When a new episode appear again, if you notice it in the stage of the numbness/pain , so when the blisters haven't come out yet, then acyclovir cream may help not spread the infection, and also you need to take the oral treatment as soon as possible. But in this stage of healing, has been nothing proven to help.

Hope this is helpful.

Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (30 hours later)
The skin in one area just gets pinkish and red after sex. It has been a month and a half since everything healed up where the ulcers made there mark. Just this one area is sensitive still. You mentioned it could take up to 6 months for the skin to fully heal in a previous discussion. Just didn't know if Vitamin E helped strengthen the skin or something else. Curious me. Thanks.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Aloe Vera seems to have helped more, but not evidence based

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thank you for the question.
Its indeed better to make your questions than keep them in your mind and never ask them.

Thats an interesting question and I looked carefully the evidences about the best answer of it. So far, there is no evidence that Vit E help, but has not been proven to not help also, because have not been tested specifically. Vitamin E is a neuro-protective nutrient, helpful in relieving nerve pain during recurrences, but not in skin regeneration and not in the type of damage that herpes does. If you want to try it, then it wont cause any damage like all the homeopathic treatments, but may not be much helpful as well.

Aloe Vera creams have shown little evidence to help, but not strong. So personally, I would better recommend this better then Vit E. It is used also in burning scars, so this makes me more confident to saying that its worth a try, even if its not evidence based.

Happy to have helped. If not, looking forward to your next question.

Take care.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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Answered by
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Dr. Klarida Papaqako

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 1804 Questions

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What Does This Swab Test Showing Rare Skin Flora Indicate?

Brief Answer: Specimen contaminated with normal skin bacterias Detailed Answer: Hello, Thank you for choosing HCM to post your query, I read carefully your query and understand your concern. The answer you got is very unspecific. But what its more important is that the specimen that you have taken, was not taken properly and it has been contaminated with normal bacteria of the skin. My recommendation would be to consider repeating the swab and maybe the doctor/nurse/a medical professional should take the specimen next time. Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you need any more clarifications. If not, please kindly close and rate the answer. Take care. Dr. Papaqako