Transfer of Herpes

Question

Hello, I have had genital type 1 Herpes for a few years now and haven't had a visible outbreak in a year. My youngest daughter has what my spouse believes is oral Type 1. She thinks my daughter acquired it from using my towel or from touching my hands one of the few times I didn't wash them after using the bathroom. I tried to explain to my wife that this is not possible because there wasn't enough Herpes virus on the towel or my hands but she doesn't believe that. I explained that my daughter was probably exposed to the virus at school or in a public place. What is the real story behind transmission of herpes from what I've described? The amount of herpes transferred to a towel or my hands from my body when an overt outbreak isn't occurring is probably so small that it could be considered zero. Hopefully, Grace will answer this, but I'd like any honest input. Thanks.

confusedbutcalm · Answer

Thanks for the info Grace.

gracefromHHP · Answer

Only 20-40% of folks who have hsv1, get obvious cold sores to know it. 

statistically 1 out of every 3 of her playmates has hsv1 orally. 1 out of every 2-3 of the adults around her has it also. it's incredibly common. 

If your wife thinks your daughter contracted hsv1 orally from your genital herpes infection though she is way off base. 

grace

confusedbutcalm · Answer

Thanks petal130,

No, I'm sure I don't have HSV-1 orally. Neither does my wife.  I've never had a cold sore.  If my daughter does have oral HSV-1, hopefully this post will convince my wife that my daughter picked it up at school or in a public place.  I'm not even sure if it is a cold sore.  It seems to be healing too quickly for an initial outbreak -  I know that doesn't carry much weight since initial outbreaks can be mild or severe.  Plus, non of my other children have it.  The daughter in question is a "hug-and-kiss" type of girl with everyone including her siblings, so I'm sure my other kids would have picked it up my now.

petal130 · Answer

I just realized you said you have genital HSV1. I do as well actually. 

You won't transit your genital herpes to your daughter. We don't have that sort of contact with our kids. However, there's a good chance you may have it orally as well  and not know it, no way of knowing unless you've had cold sores.

petal130 · Answer

Many adults who have oral HSV1 acquired it during childhood, typically from a caregiver's smooch. That being said, the risk from a towel in theory holds, but in real life the virus survives very briefly outside the body. Still, and for other health reasons, it's always best for us to not share towels, herpes or not. If your daughter  acquires your oral herpes, it's most likely from a kiss, not from a towel.

Here's a great resource to read more about oral herpes. More than 1/2 the adult population has it and most of us won't make it to the old folks home without it. Has your wife been tested to know her own status?

http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_oralherpes.cfm