HSV-2 in a 12 year old

[LMJ1972]

I just received a call from my 12 year olds doctor saying she has antibodies against hsv-2.   She had the flu and 3 days of a high fever of 103 when she developed a sore on her genitals.  There was one sore.   We had a long discussion about being touched by someone else and she said that nothing happened and was even surprised adults could do that.   I am at a lost since this kid is very involved in sports, school, and music.   She is happy and gets wonderful grades.    I guess I am wondering if there is another way to get this other than sexual contact.  

[Life360_Dave]

Glad you understand. ive seen post like this go on and ending up talking about someones dinner date last week and sharing a glass of milk!!!
Glad your part of the team here.

[atypical2015]

Yes I think you're correct, Life360. I regret splitting hairs when the specific question LMJ asked is much more relevant. It was the wrong place for me to raise this point.

As you point out, a 12 year old cannot get HSV2 genitally without "sexual contact" or rubbing with another person's infected body part.

[Life360_Dave]

Thanks for the feedback. The question here is ways of contracting hsv2 not having outbreaks on the thighs and hips. This just adds to confusion when a specific question is asked.

[atypical2015]

Well not quite, Life360. Most individuals experience an outbreak at the initial point of infection, but some people find that the outbreaks actually show up nearby but not at the point of infection at all. For example, it is very common for people with genital herpes to experience the visible outbreak on the inside of the thighs or on the hip. But clearly, that is not where they probably were exposed--the skin is too thick in these locations. Rather, these locations are part of the network of nerves in the genital region, and the virus can travel along any nerve pathway it finds in that network.

But I take your point that the initial outbreak is usually at the site of infection. If it really is herpes on the genitalia, then there was most likely genital contact, and it's worth investigating that, in case there is a child at risk. Many pre-teens are sexually active with each other too, and while that's not a crime it certainly warrants important education early.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi and welcome. the answer would be no in that hsv2 is considered sexually transmitted by genital to genital rubbing contact, however its is possible under the right conditions to be passed through hand contact,  like if a person has active herpes sores and rubs the fingers on the and immediatly rubs the fingers on someones genital area, it might be passed. Wrestlers are also know to contact herpes from wrestling. And some people have oral hsv2 and may pass it from kissing the genital area.
There is just a big unknown here but the bottom line is that herpes most always breaks out in the same spot give or take an inch and the spot that has an outbreak did make contact with herpes.

I would double check the test that was preformed in that your mention some thing inconsistant with your childs case.
You mention the fever and flu like symptoms, these happen within the first few days a a newly acquired infection so if she had a blood test that showed hsv2 those antibodies would not really show up till about 8 weeks from the exposure.
The way we determine newly acquired herpes is a positve swab of a sore that show a negative blood test.
You need to tell us about the test that was preforned and the number involved as it may be a false positive and the flu symptoms was from the flu not herpes.