Transmission Risk

[Mumto1]

Hi Terri,

Backstory: My partner has had a few lesions on his nose for the past 5 months or so, that looked like a HSV outbreak to me. He went to the doctor last time at my insistence (month ago) & she swabbed lesion for HSV & said it just looked like a staph infection & not too worry. It came back negative for HSV & staph. He took doctor at her word, but I was much more dubious as they look exactly like a mild outbreak. He just got another lesion yesterday and I sent him to my preferred doctor straight away today who was much more thorough & she swabbed the lesion and said it did look like a mild HSV outbreak & prescribed antivirals. Still awaiting those results.

My questions are; (‘If’ it is an outbreak, regardless..)

1. the day before/day of getting the outbreak my partner scratched some mosquito bites on my daughters back for her. I am now so upset at the thought he could have infected her this way. He didn’t realise he was getting a lesion as they are painless (even as they come up/crust/scab) so he could have scratched or rubbed his nose/lesion at any time & then scratched her bites. It was me who asked why the side of his nose was so red & looked bumpy yesterday morning so he had no clue it was there.
IS this a possible way of transmission? if he had just rubbed or scratched his nose (def a possibility as he has a beard and it itches him sometimes & it was on his fingers/nail & he scratched her bites (I am aware she could already have it etc, but if she wasn’t currently infected?)

2. He slept in the bed with us also before noticing the bumps so if she bumped his face during the night and rubbed her eyes ect? Is this a concern? What about putting her face on his pillow while he has a lesion?

We are normally so careful because we both get the occasional lip cold sore so I am beside myself about him not knowing this one was there until it was too late…

Thank you for your help.

[Mumto1]

Apologies (couldn’t find a way to edit the above) I just wanted to clarify that he just told me he didn’t actually scratch at her back/bites with his fingernails, he said because he doesn’t have fingernails he actually rubbed her back with his palm/hand to stop the itch.. so could either of those actions have transmitted the virus if he had touched the lesion? (either the rubbing or scratching)

Also, if he was holding her hand after maybe touching the sore/lesion (he thinks he may have touched/scratched the nose not long before holding he hand/rubbing her back) could the virus have gotten onto her hand from his & if she had rubbed her eyes or mouth ect – could this transmit the virus?

Sorry, a lot of questions today! Hope I didn’t cause any confusion.

Thank you again.

[Terri Warren]

The incidents that you describe are not methods of transmission to your daughter – at all. And you really don’t know if these lesions are herpes or not – good that they swab tested negative originally. And if they have been hanging around for a month, that also make herpes somewhat more unlikely but I guess you’ll find out soon from the most recent swab. But the kinds of contacts that he had with your daughter just are not methods of transmission.

Terri

[Mumto1]

Thank you Terri. It turns out it IS hsv1. The swabs were positive. I should have been more clear; the lesions weren’t there for the month solid – they started a month or so ago, maybe 2 months by now & they heal quite fast (under a week generally) but keep popping up. The doc prescribed a 6 month course of Valtrex & hubby is going to start working on immune system/healthier living & wearing sunscreen/hat more often (as I believe sun exposure is what has been triggering them & he’s been relaxed about it lately). Unfortunately I live in Australia & it is quite difficult to get anti viral prescriptions here. Normally only for genital infections & only 6 months max my doctor said but she knows I struggle with anxiety so is quite lenient with me 🙂

I have another question however; (logically I keep telling myself I’m being silly but I’d like some reassurance….)
today hubby kissed the back of my neck while I was cooking… about 20-30mins later my little one jumped on me while I was lying down & kissed/put her face all over the same area. Hubby’s nose seems clear at the moment, but if any saliva or virus had gotten on the back of my neck when he gave me the quick kiss & then dried or been exposed to air, could the virus still be alive & my child have been infected/exposed this way? (I had been cooking & walking around & then laying on my back on the bed prior to rolling over so no ‘wet’ saliva or anything on me). Can the virus be transmitted like this? From her mouth/lips touching an area his lips had touched earlier?

Thank you again… (on a side note; I have decided to see a therapist as I have developed anxiety related to herpes & my child. Logically my brain knows she’ll be just fine, even if she does get it, but my anxiety is making it very hard for me to get a handle on it & I DO NOT want it to affect her!) this part was not a question 🙂 … just an update as even to myself I come across as anxious!

[Terri Warren]

The situation you describe with your husband and child and you presents no risk at all to your child of acquiring HSV 1. I clearly can read your fear in your post and it makes me glad that you are going to see a therapist about this concern. So many parents have HSV 1 – about half the population – and fewer and fewer children are getting infected with HSV 1 from parents these days. So that turns out to be a mixed blessing because we are seeing far more new genital HSV 1 because children are entering their sexual maturity absent HSV 1 antibody! So you can see it’s a mixed bag. I think if he has an active sore on his lip, he should not kiss her. Otherwise, I really don’t think it’s a concern. But taking antiviral medicine for him is just fine – and safe. And good for you for pursuing this diagnosis.

This is your final post on this subscription. If you have more questions, feel free to renew

Terri

[Mumto1]

Thanks Terri, I will be seeing a therapist as soon as I can get an appointment.

I have more questions/scenario for you;

1. today an aquaintance of mine shook hands with my daughter & around 30 secs or so later my daughter used the same hand to wobble her loose tooth. This friend has what may be an outbreak on her chin under her mouth (I’m not sure if herpes or not). The friend has been ill & coughing into her hand…

Could this have transferred the herpes virus to my child? Say if it was in fact herpes & friend had coughed into her hand & touched the sore whilst doing so, then shook hands with my daughter, who then put her fingers in her mouth…? Would this be a risk?

I didn’t see my friend cough into her hand directly before shaking my daughters hand but it was only a period of a minute or so from seeing her to the hand shaking so she could have done it just before I saw her… I’m so worried now. I don’t want to be, but I am…

2. In the same vein as the above question – Is herpes transferrable via hands? Say if someone with an active sore touched the lesion, then touched my child’s hands & she touched her mouth?

Thank you again!

[Terri Warren]

1. today an aquaintance of mine shook hands with my daughter & around 30 secs or so later my daughter used the same hand to wobble her loose tooth. This friend has what may be an outbreak on her chin under her mouth (I’m not sure if herpes or not). The friend has been ill & coughing into her hand…

Could this have transferred the herpes virus to my child? Say if it was in fact herpes & friend had coughed into her hand & touched the sore whilst doing so, then shook hands with my daughter, who then put her fingers in her mouth…? Would this be a risk?

No, it is not a risk

I didn’t see my friend cough into her hand directly before shaking my daughters hand but it was only a period of a minute or so from seeing her to the hand shaking so she could have done it just before I saw her… I’m so worried now. I don’t want to be, but I am…

2. In the same vein as the above question – Is herpes transferrable via hands? Say if someone with an active sore touched the lesion, then touched my child’s hands & she touched her mouth?

No, herpes is not transmitted in this way. I think you think herpes is far more easily transmitted than it actually is. These kinds of contacts are not the way herpes is spread from person to person.

Terri

[Mumto1]

Hi Terri,

(I purchased another round of questions, but couldn’t figure out how to start a new topic)

I wanted to know if the following is a transmission risk?

I drank a glass of orange juice tonight & it had a little bit left in the bottom, it sat for 10 mins or so (probably more) until I refilled it, my daughter saw it on the bench after refilling it & got a new straw from the drawer & drank out of it. Of course, I freaked out. I do not currently have a cold sore. I am wanting to know if this is a transmission risk.

1. Could there have been living virus in the leftover bit of drink at the bottom of my glass and she drank it from the straw?
2. Or could living virus have been on the rim of my glass from where I was drinking & gotten onto her straw when she put it in the glass?
3. Is there any way she could catch the virus from a shared drink if using separate straws?

Is sharing drinks ok if we use separate straws in the same drink?

I’m thinking that this is a non issue from other posts I have read but want to be sure.

Thank you again,

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Terri Warren.

[Terri Warren]

1. No, that is not a risk
2. that is not a risk either
3. It is fine to drink from the same drink, yes, no issues.

And it took care of the other matter we discussed.

Terri

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