QUESTION REGARDING NEWBORN

[shootingstars]

my sister recently gave birth and has a beautiful one week old baby. I have been very careful not to get too close because I am so scared of her low immunity. Recently during a current HSV2 outbreak, I went to visit and washed my hands 4-5 times before doing so. She asked me to grab her binkie, and I quickly complied and then begin to freak out. I washed the binkie with soap and water, and my hands AGAIN, and then let the baby have the pacifier. I am not freaking out she can contract this orally via my hands given her young age, is washing my hands enough? I am in tears freaking out

[optimist]

No, HSV2 is not transmitted this way. Additionally, in the U.S., 30% of moms of newborns have HSV2, most don't know they have it, and no additional precautions are required. Even moms who have oral HSV1 which is more common are not advised to take precautions outside of abstaining from direct skin-skin contact with the infected region during an outbreak.

[shootingstars]

Now freaking out*

[shootingstars]

Just to clarify I wouldn’t be so scared if it was a pacifier that goes in a baby’s mouth..I am more scared the virus could live on my finger tips after washing my hands AND being exposed to the air 1 1/2 + hours and then transfer to the pacifier, and stay on the pacifier after quickly rinsing it off. I know how paranoid this sounds but I am so scared you can never be too sure with benborn babies ...

[shootingstars]

Wasn’t a pacifier* can’t even type properly I’m so anxious

[optimist]

The situation you describe presents no risk.

[shootingstars]

Thank you for the response but can you elaborate why for my peace of mind? Is hand washing enough to kill the virus? How long can the virus “survive” on ones finger tips in room temperature? If washing hands and being exposed to air does infact “kill” the virus, does this apply to everyone you are around or are children still at more risk because of there low immune systems? The anxiety has made me want to avoid babies/young children altogether now :/

[Onward_and_Upward]

Hey Shootingstars, I'm a little late to this post so I'm not sure if you've found your answers or peace of mind yet but I think I can help. (I'm new to this forum and would just like to preface that I am not a doctor nor are a majority of the posters on here so please use your own discretion when receiving advice.) From what I have read on trustworthy websites and heard from very knowledgable members of this forum - the virus can only "survive" on your finger tips for a very short amount of time (we're talking seconds to minutes) and that is ONLY IF you directly touch an active lesion and then touch someone else in an area that can respond to the virus (such as the genital region or mouth if HSV1). To explain further, you would literally have to take your finger, touch an open lesion in your genital region, and then directly touch someone to *possibly* transfer it to them. From what it sounds like, you should be in the clear since I don't believe you touched down there before touching your niece and you had been washing your hands very regularly (hand washing is enough to kill the virus from everything I have read). The virus resides in the "boxer shorts region" and the mouth (depending on which type you have) and does not reside on your fingers and hands so you won't pass it just by touching someone - even a newborn with a low immune system. I understand completely where your anxiety comes from though and I have felt the same way at times but you should know that it's *highly*, highly unlikely that you passed anything to your niece. I hope this helped a little bit! Let me know if you need me to clarify anything I wrote and I hope you're feeling better.

 

--O&U