Protecting my daughter

I am a divorced male that may have come into contact with Genital Herpes, by which I am planning to go get tested as soon as I get an appointment. I do not have pain or problems urinating or the pains or itching that I have read associated with genital herpes. I discovered them Friday while urinating and as of today they are scabbing over. If this is Genital Herpes - I will have to cope with that.

My main concern is for that of my 14 year old daughter that lives with me. I want to do everything possible to prevent anytype of spreading the virus to her. I know this is a sexually transmitted disease - but since we live in same household, we will be sharing the toilet, shower, and so fourth. A typical day consist of me getting up and showering followed by her getting and showering afterwards. I have already made it a practice of getting me a new towel and wash cloth for each shower and, when done, putting in dirty clothes afterwards. I have called the STD hotline at 1-800-227-8922 and they told me there was no risk but the practical side of me says there may be. I have read that the virus is short lived and dies outside the body. It requires a warm moist body but fear a shower stall could provide this. I have spent the day washing clothes, cleaning house. I even adjusted the thermostat on my water heater so as to kill anything in the wash.

Please advise,

Thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The STD Hotline folks are correct.  Even in the worst home hygiene that you can imagine, there is virtually ZERO risk of transmitting genital herpes to your daughter or anyone else from nonsexual contact.

In past years, there were stories and beliefs about toilet seats, shared towels, hot tubs, etc.  Not one was ever true.  Until 15 years go, medical science wasn't aware that herpes could be asymptomatic, could be first transmitted (sexually) several years into a relationship, and can first cause symptoms months or years after catching the infection.  So when genital herpes first appeared in a person who had not recently had sex or was truly monogamous, health care providers would say "well, it must have been from [toilet seat, hot tub, etc]".  

Nonsexual transmission just doesn't happen.  Do not worry about showers, the thermostat setting, shared towels, or anything else.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD