Risks HSV2 Transmission via finger

[balcony17]

Hi Terri, thank you very much for providing this helpful service!

If my female partner has genital HSV2 and I have neither HSV1 nor HSV2, what transmission risk would be associated with using my fingers to stimulate her genitals, including exposure to her vaginal fluid? Is herpes whitlow a serious concern? My finger skin appears to be intact, though there are a couple flecks of skin below my fingernail (on the top of my finger, below the base of the nail) — nothing bleeding or painful.

If hypothetically I were to acquire whitlow, would my HSV2 test reflect as positive, even though my symptoms would be on my finger and not genitally? Or are my concerns pretty unrealistic?

Thank you very much for your help!

[Terri Warren]

I am assuming that you have tested negative for HSV 1 and 2?
If the skin on your fingers is intact, I have no worries about whitlow. The skin on the finger is simply too thick for the virus to penetrate.
If you somehow did contract whitlow, yes, your antibody test would be positive. The body will make antibody regardless of infection location.
Yes I think your concerns are a bit unrealistic but no worries, that’s why I’m here – to give you facts vs. emotion.

Terri

[balcony17]

Hi Terri, thank you for the helpful reply. Yes, I am HSV1 and HSV2 negative. To the best of my knowledge, the skin on my finger is intact — there is a slight nick in the skin, but certainly not bleeding or tender (I assume that still qualifies as intact?)

One more question: would it be possible to develop an asymptomatic whitlow infection? i.e., to have acquired it in the finger but not have any symptoms there? Or would I necessarily need symptoms to have acquired it there (I understand some HSV2 genital infections show no symptoms, at least at first). Could you test positive for HSV2 within 4 months, but not have had a visible whitlow infection? Or am I really testing the boundaries of what is realistic and simply worrying too much?

Thank you!

[Terri Warren]

From the whitlow that I have seen, the symptoms are remarkable. I guess I wouldn’t know if people got asymptomatic whitlow because they wouldn’t have any symptoms. I think you are way beyond the reasonable boundries here, since you ask, why beyond!

Terri

[balcony17]

Thank you very much Terri! I guess my last questions are, how soon after an infection would a whitlow infection appear on a finger? Is it approximately 5-10 days from exposure, or typically longer?

Lastly, is my understanding correct that clothing (shorts/pants, for example) protects against HSV2 genital transmission?

Thank you again, you’ve been very helpful at setting minds at ease.

[Terri Warren]

I would expect symptoms within 2-10 days. Yes, clothing protects against HSV 2.

Terri

[Author]

Posts