HSV-2 Parent To Child Transmission

[MrYYY]

Just found out (today) that I have had HSV-2 for years and did not know. I have had periodic outbreaks that I thought were hemorrhoids.

I have a 9 month old son that recently had an outbreak of (supposedly) severe eczema and have been handling him and massaging lotion into his skin during my HSV-2 outbreak (not knowing it was HSV-2 until today).  His "eczema" broke out into open sores all over his chest, back, arms and face, and the pediatric dermatologist suspected was Impetigo and diagnosed him as having eczema complicated by impetigo.  The cultures have not come back yet.

The Dr. prescribed an antibiotic ointment for my son and the sores do seem to be responding and subsiding.

However, I am now concerned that since I was handling him during an HSV-2 outbreak that I may have inadvertantly infected him. Is it at all possible that due to his already sensitive skin that had some sores due to the eczema that I inadvertantly infected him w/ HSV-2??  He still has sores on his face and trunk and arms (nothing on his genitals or anus), however as mentioned, they do seem to be subsiding and responding to the anti-biotics.

Please advise. Many thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

It's very unlikely you transmitted your genital herpes to your son thru just rubbing all the lotions and potions they've prescribed for his eczema on him.  The virus is easily killed with soap and water.  The chances of having enough active virus on your hands after just using the bathroom to transmit thru that manner are slim to none anyways even if you do need the hygeine police because you don't wash after using the toilet.  


I'm actually a pediatric nurse at a major teaching hospital. In 20 years of my career - I've never seen hsv2 complicate a eczema infection in kids - it's always hsv1 from an oral infection ( think hands in your mouth, hands in their own mouths and then hands here there and everywhere while they scratch at their eczema when it's flared up ). Even at that I've only seen it twice. It happens, but not all that often. It happening from your hsv2 genital infection is very, very unlikely. Now bacterial superinfection of the eczema - that we see a lot of. It's pretty common when they are young like that.  

I know how hard it is not to worry but this isn't something you need to worry about.  

grace