HSV1 Question

[mlk42]

Hello,

A few years ago I got oral herpes simplex virus one from a boyfriend. I didn't realize what they right away during my first outbreak and ended up with a very bad case of herpes whitlow (I auto-inoculated myself due to a broken cuticle). I went to a doctor who told me that I had the oral herpes and then later my finger got very swollen with a large blister. I am fairly certain I was careful to wash my hands well and avoid contact with my genital areas, but looking back I am paranoid that I somehow auto-inoculated myself genitally from my herpes whitlow. I am very paranoid about the thought of it and even had a suspicious lesion checked out by my ARNP. The culture was negative, but I still get anxiety about anything that looks at all like a bump down there.

I was just curious what the chances would be of autoinoculating myself from the secondary site (since the oral were the primary, and the fingers were secondary). Could I have passed it on to a third place? Especially with limited contact and no visible cuts down there? I talked to an infectious disease MD about it when I was first diagnosed. He said that my secondary infection (in my cuticles) wouldn't come back because it was the secondary spot. That my reoccurrence would be just in the primary area. Is this true? I thought a secondary site would have reoccurring outbreaks? Is this is true, would I not have new outbreaks in the potential tertiary site?

Also, I had eye surgery and my MD wanted me to be on suppressive Acyclovir for a year after the surgery so there was no chance of an oral outbreak that could potentially infect my healing eyes. I have been taking it for eight months with no issues, but am not paranoid from a bump "down there." I have no signs of an oral outbreak, but it is difficult to tell, as I have clogged pores around my lips from time to time. Does the suppressive dose of Acyclovir work at suppressing all cold sores? Even if I have been stressed this week?

I realize this could be just a lot of paranoia, and ANYTHING is possible, but I would appreciate knowing the likelihood of the spread and your thoughts on it.

Thank you!

[gracefromHHP]

good - glad they confirmed that it is whitlow for you. never something folks want to hear but at least you know for sure what it was so if you start getting pain in that finger again, you know to start antiivrals that day to help keep it as mild as possible.

[mlk42]

Thanks Grace!

Yes they cultured my finger to confirm the herpes. It's good to know I don't have to be as paranoid about the genital herpes - thank you!

I greatly appreciate your help!

[gracefromHHP]

did they do a lesion culture on your finger to confirm whitlow?

is it likely you transmitted your hsv1 to your genital area from your hand? it's really low risk. I'm sure you weren't masturbating with a sore finger and just the regular contact from wiping after using the restroom isn't enough to transmit the infection to the genital area.

will you have recurrences of your whitlow?  odds are you will. it tends to reoccur less than oral herpes does but it can reoccur.  when you have them, keep the area covered with a bandage and start a round of antivirals.  it's only contagious from the hand when obvious lesions are present. otherwise the skin is too thick for the virus to shed from the hand.  

will suppressive therapy keep every cold sore from occurring? no it will not.

grace