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Herpes simplex virus is very common and highly contagious. HSV -1 commonly affects the face, and often causes cold sores (painful blisters on the lips). HSV-2 tends to cause painful genital blisters. HSV-1 can spread through kissing or oral sex, while HSV-2 can spread through skin to skin contact with infected genitals. Be aware that HSV can have a long-dormant period. You may have contracted herpes long ago, but the virus may have stayed dormant in the nerve cells where it resides. Stress and lack of immunity (getting sick) are common triggers for activation of the virus from the dormant phase. Even if you can't remember ever being in contact with someone with HSV-1, consider if you've ever had a cold sore or fever blister. In the "prodrome" or early phase of any disease, symptoms indicate the onset of a condition. For whitlow, these symptoms usually appear 2 to 20 days after initial exposure, and include: Fever Fatigue Unusual pain Numbness Tingling in the area Once the initial prodrome phase has passed, you will see far more specific symptoms that point clearly to whitlow: Swelling, redness, and rash, with fluid filled vesicles around the area. The vesicles may rupture, and a white, clear, or bloody fluid will come out. These vesicles may merge and take on a black/brown color. Ulceration, or a break in the skin, may develop later. Symptoms can resolve from anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks. Since whitlow is a more of a clinical diagnosis, the medical staff might not order any additional tests. Instead, the doctor will take your symptoms and medical history including an HSV diagnosis into consideration to diagnose whitlow. The doctor may also take a tube of your blood to order a complete blood count (CBC) with a differential (a count of your white blood cells). This will let them see if you have enough immune cells to fight infections, or if you have an underlying immune dysfunction that causes reoccurring infections. The doctor may want to test for herpes if you haven't been diagnosed with it. They may analyze your blood for herpes antibodies, order a PCR test (for the detection of herpes DNA), and/or order a viral culture (to see if actual herpes virus is growing from your blood).
Recall if you've had contact with someone who has herpes. Look for early symptoms. Observe more typical whitlow symptoms in the disease phase. Get a formal medical diagnosis.