Concerned parent...

[B12340000]

Long time follower, first time poster...

I have had HSV-2 for 10 years. My wife and I have two young children, 2 and 4 and a third on the way. This is where my concern arises. I take once daily Valtrex and very rarely have outbreaks (maybe once a year). That being said, the concept of viral shedding has me completely freaked out. Can our children contract herpes from me through casual contact by viral shedding? If I am wearing shorts and the kids hug my leg, is there the possibility that I transmit herpes to them via shedding? If I use the restroom and touch an area where shedding is occurring, could I potentially transfer the virus to my hands or clothing (ie: pulling my shirt down prior to washing hands)? If so, then could this virus transfer from my hands or clothing to my kids if they touch it right after I use the restroom??

As you can see, my main concern is the risk of transferring this disease to the kids. Other than the constant worry that they somehow contract this from me, HSV-2 doesn't have much impact on my life.

Sorry for all the random questions about shedding. Are there any other parents out there who faced similar concerns and could offer advice? Thank you so much for reading this and offering your feedback!

[WCSDancer2010]

@B12340000

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

Simple answer... no... it would be very hard to pass this to your children. The virus will only shed in the area where you have in - in this case, around the genital region. You can't pass it on the toilet seat or on towels because it doesn't live very long away from the body.

 

I didn't live with the concerns because viral shedding wasn't known when I had mine. I led a "normal" life with them and they are H- to this day.

 

You are not alone in this fear - we had a conversation here that discussed alot of the concerns of parents:

 

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/2194/extreme-fear-and-remorse-family

 

It's fine... your family will be fine. The only precautions are normal cleanliness habits of cleaning your hands after touching the genital area...otherwise, your life should be just like any other family...

 

(((HUGS)))

[B12340000]

Thanks for the response. Do you know of any resources out there that give a good perspective of science behind viral shedding? Specifically, how does the virus "shed" and when it is shedding, how is it transmitted? When I hear shedding, I tend to think of skin/virus falling off of me. I know this isn't the case, but that's where my mind goes...

[WCSDancer2010]

We have some simple info on the handouts...here

 

Handouts:

http://bit.ly/h-opp-diagnosis-handout

http://bit.ly/h-opp-disclosure-handout

 

Disclosure e-book:

http://eepurl.com/b4IPP

 

The virus "sheds" (ie, is at skin level where it can be passed to another) at different frequencies depending on the type and location. HSV2 genital sheds 15-30% of the time, which means there is the *possibility* that there would be enough virus load for someone to get it from you if they came in contact with that specific area (ie: genital/inner thighs/etc where your OB's occur). For the most part that would mean sustained contact and a lot would depend on both the amount you might be shedding (which you don't know) and the immune system of the other person, whether they have an "open" area (cut, razor rash, rubs from vigorous sex, etc).

 

So while the virus doesn't shed by "falling off", it IS on the skin level, but only in the area of the nerve ganglion for that area (think of nerves as electric wires in your neighborhood... different "bundles" or "ganglion" serve different neighborhoods.... so when one is affected, the whole neighborhood is affected but the guy across the street may still have power even tho his bundle comes from the same company)

 

An outbreak is just shedding on overload... so much of the virus that the body goes into attack mode to get it back under control.

 

Hope that helps - I am sure that there are studies that you could read out there but this is the "layman" version in it's simplest form :)