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Transmitting HSV1 genitally?
Hi Terri,
You provided me some much needed reassurance regarding my infant daughter about a month and a half ago, and I hope you are able to do so again. I hope this scenario is not ridiculous to you (or rather, I hope that it is and that I am worried for nothing!), but really dwelling on it and hoping to put it out of my mind. My daughter is just shy of 3 months (11 weeks old). I have been dealing with cold sores, one right after the other, since her birth. It is beyond frustrating and I have an appointment to get on suppressive therapy at this point. Last night, she woke up in the middle of the night. Half awake, I absent-mindedly scratched/rubbed the area above my upper lip (I have a healed sore there, and am feeling yet another one coming on). I immediately realized what I did and grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer to use before changing her diaper, using the same hand that touched my lip. In my haste, however, I dropped the bottle and it landed on her inner thigh, where her diaper meets her leg. I grabbed a wipe and wiped the area a bit, but I am not sure I got the right area (the room was very dark) or if the wiping made the situation worse by rubbing in any virus that may have gotten on her. Plus, my daughter kicks a ton during changes, so her inner thigh likely rubbed quite a bit against her vaginal area, so the potential for viral transfer/friction through that is scaring me too. Could I have given her HSV1 genitally from this? Is that at all a possibility from what I have described? I know that inanimate objects do not generally transmit, but I am worried due to the fact my contaminated hand touched the bottle and it fell on her instantly…plus the introduction of friction from my wiping and her kicking. Also, she is so little and I know it is much easier for babies/kids to catch. Is this situation at all a risk, or can I put it out of my mind? Also, do you think it is likely she is still protected by my antibodies at this age? Thank you for your help!
You provided me some much needed reassurance regarding my infant daughter about a month and a half ago, and I hope you are able to do so again. I hope this scenario is not ridiculous to you (or rather, I hope that it is and that I am worried for nothing!), but really dwelling on it and hoping to put it out of my mind. My daughter is just shy of 3 months (11 weeks old). I have been dealing with cold sores, one right after the other, since her birth. It is beyond frustrating and I have an appointment to get on suppressive therapy at this point. Last night, she woke up in the middle of the night. Half awake, I absent-mindedly scratched/rubbed the area above my upper lip (I have a healed sore there, and am feeling yet another one coming on). I immediately realized what I did and grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer to use before changing her diaper, using the same hand that touched my lip. In my haste, however, I dropped the bottle and it landed on her inner thigh, where her diaper meets her leg. I grabbed a wipe and wiped the area a bit, but I am not sure I got the right area (the room was very dark) or if the wiping made the situation worse by rubbing in any virus that may have gotten on her. Plus, my daughter kicks a ton during changes, so her inner thigh likely rubbed quite a bit against her vaginal area, so the potential for viral transfer/friction through that is scaring me too. Could I have given her HSV1 genitally from this? Is that at all a possibility from what I have described? I know that inanimate objects do not generally transmit, but I am worried due to the fact my contaminated hand touched the bottle and it fell on her instantly…plus the introduction of friction from my wiping and her kicking. Also, she is so little and I know it is much easier for babies/kids to catch. Is this situation at all a risk, or can I put it out of my mind? Also, do you think it is likely she is still protected by my antibodies at this age? Thank you for your help!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm not absolutely clear about how long antibodies are present in babies, but I did ask this question of a pediatric expert in genital herpes info, and he replied probably about 6 months, maximum. I'm not clear that that research has ever been done, specifically.
Terri
Terri
Thank you....one more quick question...should she be protected by my antibodies still? If so, for how much longer? She will be 12 weeks old in a few days, and I exclusively breastfeed.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I think it is highly unlikely that you would have gotten any large amount of active virus on your towel and then that your husband picked it up and his hands and subsequently transmitted this your baby's bottom. I think the risk here is so very small that you can dismiss it.
Terri
Terri
Thank you for your response! I have been extremely cautious around my daughter, but am curious in general how much risk an indirect exposure poses. I have one more concern about such an incident. Yesterday, I took a shower and dried off my face. I do have an active sore now. A few minutes later, my husband washed his hands, dried them with the same towel I used, and then changed our daughter's diaper. He rubbed diaper cream all over her vaginal area and bottom during the change too. I panicked when I realized he had used the towel I had used just a few minutes before. Does this pose a risk of transmission? Thank you again, and this will be my last panicked question ;-) I just can't seem to get the incident out if my head!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I do understand that you are concerned about any possible way you could have given your daughter HSV 1. However, this situation is what I would describe as zero risk. We don't have any idea if you picked up any virus on your finger, then we don't know how much, if any (and it would have to be very small) would have been on the bottle of hand sanitizer and you immediately wiped it with things that probably contain some chemicals for virus and bacteria. All in all, if there was any virus present on the finger where you touched you lip, it would have been a mere shadow of its former self, presenting no risk to your daughter.
Terri
Terri
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
