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What Tests Need To Be Done To Determine Whether The Infection Is HSV?
I had a very prolonged and intense sexual encounter with a woman 10 weeks ago (using a condom w/ spermicide) . This woman later told me that she has herpes (had it for 5 years, been asymptomatic for last 2 years, using daily antivirals for past few months) and also treated herself for a yeast infection a couple of days later. I experienced soreness the very next day (redness/burning around urethra)... a couple of weeks later, a couple of small sores developed (less than 1/4 the size of a pencil eraser), one on the glans, the other on the foreskin.. After researching online, I suspected a yeast infection and treated myself with a Monistat 1 kit (oral & cream).. used the cream for a week, with no results... after 4 weeks, I saw a doctor, who treated me for a yeast infection (used clotrimaderm cream for a week - no results).. saw another doctor who treated me for possible HSV infection.. he prescribed viaderm and valtrex (500mg twice daily for 1 week, viaderm cream for 2 weeks).. I had a blood test for HSV antibodies and he took a swab of the sore areas.. waited 2 weeks for the blood test results - negative (the old sores healed, but new sores appeared in different areas on the glans), after 3 weeks, the culture also came back negative.. saw a dermatologist at 7 weeks.. he said possible herpes and prescribed 2%HC pwd in Nystatin.. after 2 weeks (week 9), visited another doctor and requested a requisition for Blood PCR.. returned to dermatologist after another week (week 10).. sores healed but redness still apparent around urethra; mild tingling sensation still present.. dermatologist now saying herpes less likely than balanitis... still waiting on PCR blood test results. The dermatologist tells me that the PCR test should have been done on the sores with 72 hours in order to be accurate, and that a PCR test on blood is inconclusive. Is that correct? Am I waiting on a test that is not definitive? If so, what test can I do now to determine if I have is HSV? I feel like I m being tortured.. Please, need answers ASAP! - Desperate for Answers
Wed, 24 Dec 2014
Hello. Thank your writing to us at healthcaremagic
PCR testing is far better than culture; it has in fact replaced culture as the gold standard to diagnose herpes.
PCR is more sensitive and 100% specific. Moreover, PCR can pick up infection even during the asymptomatic stages unlike viral culture and for days after the active sores have healed. Therefore I slightly disagree with your doctor on this.
Regarding testing culture for virus may not give a positive result specially if you don't have any visible sores.
I suggest you to talk to your doctor for more details regarding testing.
Herpes is sexually transmittable and even protected sex is not completely safe because a condom does not cover all of the infected skin. The risk is however reduced by 50% when sex is protected.
Therefore it is likely that you may have acquired the infection from your sexual partner and if so you may transmit it to your future partners as well.
Herpes once acquired, whether oral or genital remains so for the rest of life. The frequency of active episodes may however decrease with time but it always stays with you.
Regards
PCR testing is far better than culture; it has in fact replaced culture as the gold standard to diagnose herpes.
PCR is more sensitive and 100% specific. Moreover, PCR can pick up infection even during the asymptomatic stages unlike viral culture and for days after the active sores have healed. Therefore I slightly disagree with your doctor on this.
Regarding testing culture for virus may not give a positive result specially if you don't have any visible sores.
I suggest you to talk to your doctor for more details regarding testing.
Herpes is sexually transmittable and even protected sex is not completely safe because a condom does not cover all of the infected skin. The risk is however reduced by 50% when sex is protected.
Therefore it is likely that you may have acquired the infection from your sexual partner and if so you may transmit it to your future partners as well.
Herpes once acquired, whether oral or genital remains so for the rest of life. The frequency of active episodes may however decrease with time but it always stays with you.
Regards
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