Conflicting Transmission Information Question... - Herpes Message Board

Acheronta · 09-02-2005, 07:11 PM

I have been doing some searching over the internet for information about herpes transmission. But a problem that keeps coming up is that transmission information/beliefs are conflicting.
Some maintain that herpes is transmitted only via mucous membrane or open wound contact while others have the opinion that it may be transmitted through skin contact such as a kiss on the cheek or forehead.
Considering that many infants contract the virus from a kiss on the cheek or forehead, it makes me question the possibility for such to happen to an adult as well.
Is the make up of infant skin more succeptable to the virus? Or is it because the infant unknowingly spreads the virus from the area of the kiss to an area with mucous membranes through touching the area then the lips?

If it is true that herpes may be transmitted only through mucous membrane or open wound contact, then how big/deep exactly meed that open wound be?
Say if a person shaved that morning and got kissed in that spot that evening, or if a person wiped his face with a towel an hour before encountering the virus? What if the person exfoliated that morning?
would the surface abrasions from these activities create enough of a breach in the skin for the virus to infect, or does it have to be deeper?
Or what if the person's face was extremely dry? Would the cracked skin on the surface be enough?

If a mucous membrane touches an active herpes sore, is infection 100% confirmed?

If anyone has any insight on this, please let me know...

good2Bme · 09-03-2005, 05:54 AM

Hi again.
I posted to you already, but I am again because I see you are not getting much feedback.
You can get herpes anywhere on your body.
Herpes does "prefer" the mucous membrane, and that is where you are most likely to get it... you will see people with a cold sore on there mouth, and sometimes they have it on there mouth, chin, going up the nose... this is because you "can" get it there.
I personally don't know anyone who has herpes anywhere else on there body other than the 2 typical places (mouth, genitals), and you don't read to much about it on this board either, so saying that it is not AS TRANSMITTABLE to other parts of the body, but also not NOY POSSIBLE, I think is fair to say.
You mention if your skin has recently been shaved, cut, dry etc.. if it is more likely. I think the answer to that would also be yes, but that is just my opinion (however still not as likely as it would be to get it on mucous membrane).
Last, if an active herpes sore touches mucous membrane, is transmission 100% confirmed... I don't think anyone can accurately answer that, but I would say the odds would be pretty high.
Go to a dermatologist and ask these questions of concern... they see this everyday.
Good Luck

hsvmom · 09-03-2005, 07:31 AM

My son gets outbreaks all over his scalp, neck, ears, and face. Yes you can get it anywhere. A break in the skin it not at all necessary. It does require skin-to-skin contact. There is some soft evidence that suggests herpes can survive for limited amounts of time in damp towels, but not dry towels. that's really the only suggestion that it could be transmitted any way other than direct intimate contact.