infection at birth?

[Anna3014]

I had had herpes for a couple of years when my daughter was born.  I did not have an outbreak that day, but did have one the next.  She never had any symptoms.  Now, as a young adult who has never had unprotected sex, she has tested positive for HSV.  Could that be from me?

[petal130]

No, if you transmitted your GH to her at birth, she would have become very ill as an infant.

How was she tested as an adult? HSV1 or HSV2? Has she ever had any symptoms? I assume you realize herpes can be oral, not just genital. As well, protected sex still does have a risk for herpes transmission, albeit small. And, it can be transmitted to the genitals via oral sex as well.

[Anna3014]

Thanks.  That's what I thought,  I just wondered about the possibility of antibodies as a result of exposure vs. infection as I believe happens in some other situations.

She's in process of being tested to differentiate which strain.  She has symtoms; they don't appear to be specific to HSV, but a number of tests were done and HSV showed up.  She's very concerned about her current boyfriend's reaction.  Having never had symptoms before, she presented herself as having a clean bill of health.  They haven't had unprotected sex, but if she got it that way, what could happen to him and what of their potential long-term relationship?  

[petal130]

Be sure the blood test that she gets (in addition to any potential swab/culture of symptoms) is an IgG type specific blood test. Many times the wrong test (IgM) is used.

Also, does her partner know his status? Always a recommended thing as well. Just because he potentially has never had symptoms doesn't mean he's negative.