ask: Can genital impetigo be confused with herpes simplex virus?
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Anonymous
April 21, 2010 - 12:25pm
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I'm not a woman, but my long-time girlfriend who ive never cheated on and who has never cheated on me recently got some sores on her vaginal area, and she was quick to assume she had genital herpes. But recently we have both had exposure to impetigo, and I had sores on my face and nostrils, and recently had another sore on my lip and I am just hoping you can ease my mind with some helpful information, thankyou so much.
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Hi Anon
Thanks for your question and welcome!
Herpes and genital impetigo are often confused, as they look pretty similar in terms of blisters and overall look.
Genital impetigo is very contagious and she may have contacted it in her genital area through receiving oral sex. Impetigo is mostly seen on the mouth, with sores like you described. Do you think this could be the case? This condition is caused by the highly contagious bacteria called staph - I hope you are both on antibiotics.
However, she may have genital herpes and you having a staph infection could just be an unhappy coincidence. I would suggest she sees a doctor about this. Let me know if either of you are on medication for either condition as this is not something that you should wait and see about, due to the contagion issue.
How did you come in contact with the impetigo?
For further reading, check out our impetigo page here: http://www.empowher.com/media/reference/impetigo#definition
April 22, 2010 - 1:14pmThis Comment
Yes my initial thought was that she would have contracted it during oral sex, because I have recently had the sores on my lip I am just unsure what these sores on my lip were, if they were the second coming of impetigo or if i contracted the cold sore virus from somewhere and passed it along, we have both been on antibiotics for impetigo in the past, but we have yet to see a doctor about all these new complications but we have an appointment to get some tests done tomorrow so hopefully we will know.
April 23, 2010 - 10:18amWe'd love an update, Anon and your story can probably help many others.
Thank you both for being so responsible - we wish you the best!
April 23, 2010 - 11:22amwell my gf jus got some tests and she has genital herpes well I was tested right before we got together an I was clean she just got an out break I believe her that she didn't have it before n not tell me cuz she's been with the same dr for years well did sbe cheat on me is my question?
June 26, 2011 - 1:26pmHi Anon
Thanks for your post!
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease so she did get it from sexual contact. However, it may have been in her system for quite some time and only became an active outbreak recently. She may also have cheated on you: either scenario is possible.
Please make sure you have no sexual contact at all until her outbreak ends and even then, you will have to use a condom or risk infection yourself. Condoms will not be a 100% guarantee against not getting infected but they will help enormously. You should also get another test.
For more information, check out our Herpes page here: http://www.empowher.com/condition/genital-herpes
I wish you the best and take care,
July 15, 2011 - 1:43pmSusan