Suspicious Symptoms After a Business Trip to the Philippines, Possible STD from the Fiancé

A woman is suspecting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) due to sudden pimple-like symptoms appearing on her fiancé's lips and groin after he returned from a business trip to the Philippines.

On the 22nd, a post titled "My fiancé seems off after his overseas business trip" was shared on the online community Nate Pann.

With only two months left until the wedding, the author, referred to as A, expressed her concerns about her fiancé B's unusual symptoms.

According to A, her fiancé does not usually travel for work but was assigned to the Philippines for about two weeks as a special case.

She said, "Isn't it common knowledge? When guys go on trips to Southeast Asia, accidents happen. I felt reassured this time because there were three men and two women on the trip, but recently, I've felt that something is suspicious about my fiancé."

After returning home, B showed abnormal symptoms.

A explained, "It all started when I noticed a skin issue I wasn’t familiar with. I thought it was just an ordinary pimple, but red patches kept appearing around his lips," adding, "It's a bit dirty to discuss, but there's also a red pimple-like bump near his groin that wasn't there before."

Ultimately, A asked B about the pimples, to which he replied, "I usually get these symptoms when I'm tired."

However, A expressed skepticism, noting that she had never seen him exhibit such symptoms during their four-year relationship.

She also mentioned that she did not receive satisfactory answers about what he did during the trip.

She asked, "It’s not what I’m thinking, right? Is there any way to know for sure?" and sought advice.

Possibility of Herpes Infection and Experts' Advice

In response, most netizens pointed out the possibility that B could be infected with genital herpes type 2 (HSV-2).

Known as "oral herpes," herpes type 1 (HSV-1) mainly causes blisters around the lips, mouth, and nose, whereas type 2 typically produces symptoms in the genital area through sexual transmission.

This highly contagious STD usually shows symptoms about 13 to 17 days after infection, with an incubation period of approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

Symptoms include itching or pain in the genital area and the appearance of small blisters, making early treatment crucial, as it should be addressed immediately upon discovery.

A netizen who identified as a nurse suggested, "If blisters have appeared simultaneously on the lips and groin, it's likely herpes. I recommend getting a basic STD test along with a PCR test and herpes antibody tests (IgG, IgM) at a urology clinic."

This netizen explained, "If IgG is positive, it indicates a past infection, while IgM being positive suggests a recent infection," advising that if either of the tests comes back positive, it confirms an STD infection.

Other netizens reacted with comments like, "What's suspicious is less important; just make sure to get tested," and "If he's your fiancé, go to the urology clinic together and get an STD test to confirm the results."

Image Source: Reference photos for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank, herpes type 1 (HSV-1), reference photos for understanding the article / advanced functional medicine