herpes whitlow again

[onelongnightmare]

@Sil88 Where did the bumps appear? Same location as before?

[Sil88]

Yea, about half an inch above the cuticle.

[onelongnightmare]

@WCSDancer2010 Some say all it takes is skin to skin contact. Others say there needs to be saliva and broken skin for the virus to enter. I'm so confused. Sorry for the two questions in a row.

[WCSDancer2010]

I would be most careful when your finger is actually swollen/infected looking

 

and I would be most careful around genitals simply because the skin is a LOT thinner there and the virus is most at home there....Thus wiping a baby's very sensitive genitals when cleaning with a finger that is likely infected with *something* (it could be bacterial too) isn't a good idea.

 

Generally you need *sustained* skin to skin contact (as you have with sex), which often causes micro-lesions in the skin which opens the door for the virus to enter. Light/dry skin to skin contact is pretty darned safe ... the virus can't live outside of the body... especially in a dry environment, for more than a few minutes... not long enough to get into the body. Bathing time is also generally fine because the soap will kill the virus. Basically... use common sense. You would cover ANY wound on a finger (or at least avoid contact with the skin) before diapering a baby, right? (If only to protect YOU from getting stuff into the wound ;) )

 

And the virus will ONLY shed wherever you actually got it ... so in this case - just on the one finger that you have the issue with ... and only if it IS Herpes and not a bacterial or fungal infection, which you won't know without a swab.

[onelongnightmare]

@WCSDancer2010 Thanks so much for the advice. How would you suggest to change the diaper? Wear a glove every time? Or when there is an outbreak?

 

Also, is it possible to feel prodrome in the finger? Would that mean it is asymptomatically shedding? As you said it can shed even though it isn't mucous membrane. Does that mean it can shed any time?

[WCSDancer2010]

I'd mostly be concerned if you are having an OB .. but you can buy finger cots (which only cover the one finger) if being cautious would keep your mind at ease ;)

 

You *might* feel prodromes in the finger ... but odds are it would flare if you got a hangnail or something to set it off. HW usually doesn't pose much of a problem once it settles down. *Yes* it could shed there but odds are there wouldn't be much there ... there needs to be enough of the virus (I believe several hundred copies) to actually be enough to overwhelm the body. If there's only a few the body generally can kill it off before it gains hold in the nerves.

 

http://tinyurl.com/latex-finger-cots ...This is what a finger cot looks like... they are useful any time you have any kind of irritation on a finger anyway to keep it clean when working in stuff that could cause an infection in your system as well ;)

 

 

[onelongnightmare]

@Sil88 What precautions do you take? Do you get prodrome in your finger? Do you keep it away from touching others? Or only when there is an outbreak? Do you think it sheds on finger?

[Sil88]

I think it would... I put a plaster over it if I have an ob. I've had tingles in my finger, an aching arm and a sore wrist before. Not sure I'll see much of it again though.

[onelongnightmare]

@Sil88 Thanks for your reply. What makes you think you won't see much of it? Do you have children or anyone you come in contact with often? Do you touch them when there is no outbreak?