Mysterious Herpes-type Virus Defies Diagnosis... Help!?

Hi Everyone,

About 2 1/2 years ago, I had an oral sex exposure. About 2 weeks later, I felt very sore on one side of my foreskin, and I got a virus. Lowgrade fever, feeling run down a bit, and definite nerve-type pain in my lower back-- in the sacra-illiac area. There was no noticeable rash or bump on my foreskin, but the "invisible" rash was very sensitive and not something simple like a yeast infection. It should also be noted that I had no congestion, nor any of the symptoms associated with accute HIV syndrome such as swollen glands or body rashes, thank God. I also started feeling some tingling on the back of my left hand where my thumb met my index finger. Finally, I had a bump in my left eyelid. My eye felt strange (a new feeling), so I looked around and saw it.

I went to an infectious disease expert. I explained that the exposure was oral. She looked at my genitals and wasn't concerned. She thought I was crazy to be worrying about HIV, but to put me at ease, she tested me for HIV and Herpes 1 and 2. The tests were negative. She did not test me for syphillis or gonorhea, as she said there was no cause. She essentially thought I was a worry wart (pardon the pun). Later on, in light of the symptoms I am about to tell you about, I forced her to test me for Herpes 1 and 2 again, but again, negative.

The virus symptoms abated within a week or so. The bump in my eyelid went away in a week or two, as well, and never returned. The sore spot on my penis-- in this one spot about the sign of a pin head-- continued for about 3 weeks, then went away, and then returned a few times during the first year after the exposure (the only intercourse or oral sex I have had SINCE that date has been protected, and basically, while my penis never hurt on its own, the chafing against a condom-- and presumably against a woman, if it were unprotected-- caused pain in the exact spot from time to time over the first year.) After the first year, I never felt a pain on the side of my penis again.

However, as the initial virus was starting to go away (about two weeks after exposure), the tingling on the back of my hand and along my thumb and index finger continued. I ended up getting one, single blister, on the side of my index finger. It never opened up and scabbed, but sorta filled and deflated a few times before finally just going away. Since then, there have been 5-7 occasions over the last 2 1/2 years where I experience these prodrome symptoms-- tingling on the back of my hand and on my thumb and index finger-- almost always when driving when my hand is in the sun or when my hands are feeling the wind from the windows down. The prodrome often ends with no blisters, but on 2 occasions since the initial infection, I have again developed one, single blister, just like the first time around-- the second time, on the back of the hand; the third time, halfway up the back of my forearm. And, each time, not only do I just get one, but it never opens and scabs, but rather inflates and deflates a few times before going away.

To me, this SEEMS like a herpes virus. Initial pain at site of entry, then virus with the tell-tale lower back pain for a few days, prodrome symptoms which are set off by sunlight or wind and often, but not always, lead to a blister. On the other hand, I do not have herpes simplex 1 or 2 (according to blood tests) and I do not get a patch of blisters at the site of the infection (my penis). My penis, gratefully, has been spared. Instead, I get the single blisters on my left hand and arm. I've read about cross infection and I can't help but think I may have touched my penis with the virus on it with my left hand (which became infected) and then my left eye (which had one blister on the inside of the lid that one time).

While I'm grateful to not have HHV 1 or 2, I'm very disturbed that I "appear" to have picked up a herpes virus not yet found and classified by doctors!! Since I don't know what it is, I don't know what to look for or how concerned to be about it! What if I'm getting lesions on my brain?? Why would the virus be infecting the upper body nerves, and should I be concerned that each single blister is moving from my extremities towards my trunk (from finger, to back of hand, to middle of forearm)?? One doctor once told me that, while their are 8 known herpes viruses now (1, 2, CMV, Parvo, Epstein Barr, HHV-6, etc), it is certainly possible that there are a few or even a dozon others not found yet. What would you do if you were me?? I LOVE my current girlfriend, by we cannot feel each other because I am afraid of what I may give her! ANY advice would be appreciated!! Especially by medical professionals!

Thank you to all of you!!

-m

PS- I have read about herpetic whitlow (Herpes simplex virus that causes ulcers on fingers), and my single blisters don't look anything like that (they never ulcer over), plus I think herpetic whitlow has to be caused by HHV-1 or -2, which I test negative for. Nevertheless, I think it's a little weird that-- if this IS a herpes infection-- my occasional blister is never on a mucous membrane, like the mouth or genitals, but rather on the regular skin of the hand and arm. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Thanks again!