Work and possible (but unlikely?) herpes whitlow

[99questions]

Hi all,
I’m trying to figure out whether I’m being overly anxious or not worried enough and am hoping for some guidance and perspective.

My quick back story:
I have long had cold sores (20+ years) and the virus seems to have spread to my nose in the past few (5?) years. I suspect this happened because I developed a nervous/obsessive habit of picking my nose and so spread the virus myself — but perhaps it’s the same infection site being expressed in a new location (I haven’t gotten any useful feedback on this). I have yet to break the nose-picking habit entirely and so have become particularly concerned about spreading the virus elsewhere — specifically to my eyes and fingers. I do my best to wash or sanitize my hands whenever I touch my nose (or lip) during an outbreak, but know that I have dropped the ball on occasion.

Anyway, I recently had an outbreak on/in my nose and lip after starting a new job (as a cashier and sometimes behind a deli), and am now trying to figure out the proper level of concern I should have about the possibility of having given myself a whitlow — and especially what that means for my work.

I have a tendency to be unnecessarily anxious about this sort of thing, so logic tells me I’m probably worried for nothing. I do have some minor “symptoms” — some periodic tingling and sensitivity in my fingers, although so far no noticeable bumps or pain. They are easily explained by the increased wear my hands get at my job, but I would hate to infect someone else due to wishful thinking and/or ignorance.

Unfortunately, I don’t yet have a doctor in town (I’m new and looking — there are long waits all around) so I thought I’d see if I could get any useful advice here.

I think what I’m asking boils down to two questions:

- First, what signs should I look for that tell me I need to take extra precautions at work? Am I already being irresponsible and putting people at unnecessary risk?

- Second, If I do end up having a whitlow, what precautions would be appropriate for a cashier and deli worker? Is it even possible to work in such an environment responsibly? Or do you just have to find other work?

Many thanks for any feedback you can give.

[feelingundone]

And it didn't spread to your nose. Like life369dave said it's in that nerve ganglion so you can have an outbreak anywhere in that region.

[99questions]

Thanks! I'd wondered about that but never remembered to ask my old doctor.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi since you already have oral HSV you cant spread it to your hand as thats another nerve ganglion and is only specific to your oral ganglion.

Not sure what you work question is

[99questions]

Thanks for the reply and reassurance.

My work question seems moot, since the chances of my having auto-inoculated are apparently vanishingly small. But I was curious what to do in a work place where you are constantly handling items immediately before customers, since I hadn't found any discussion of that in the forum (although perhaps I just missed it). I'd read lots of advice on precautions for general daily activities — but wasn't sure if they would be different for a job with lots of public interaction. Anyway, if you (or anyone else) have any thoughts, it might help others. But there seems no need to respond for me.

Thanks again!

[feelingundone]

You do not have to worry about hsv spreading in a work place environment. Not going to happen. Hsv isn't spread this way.