In article <mcoon-1302960819560001 at porky.microbiol.washington.edu>
mcoon at u.washington.edu (upyers) writes:
> In article <4fnk74$d4o at linus.mitre.org>, Janice LaRock <jlarock at mitre.org>
> wrote:
>> > I'm currently about 12 1/2 weeks pregnant, and have just gotten an
> > outbreak (not primary) of HSV (supraorbital). I'm using zovirax cream to
> > control it, because I really don't want to take the oral on the chance
> > that it could hurt the baby. So far, the infection is being moderately
> > controlled, although the oral acyclovir would be more effective. But it
> > occurred to me yesterday that I don't know if the virus itself could hurt
> > the baby.
> >
> > Does the virus get into my bloodstream, and cross the placenta? There is
> > some lymph involvement (in front of my ear, and in my neck on the
> > affected side); could the kid catch HSV in utero?
> >
> > Thanks for the info.
>> Unfortunately, Janice it IS posssible. But before you freak out and get
> worried please see a doctor. Perhaps he/she can allay your fears and help
> limit the risk of fetal transmission. If interested there is quite a body
> of literature that discusses transmission mechanisms.
>> Good luck
>> --
> "The two most common things in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity" Halan Ellison
Sorry Halan but you are very very wrong. There is nothing that is
absolutely certain in life, but there is no risk to the baby. This
lesion is above the mother's eye. Even a recurrent lesion in the
genital region in the first trimester is 'relatively' safe. I urge
Janice (the mother) not to take oral acyclovir and there is no
indication to do anything but the usual stuff like not touching the
lesion and autoinoculating yourself (esp the eye). Nucleoside analogues
are DNA chain terminators although not yet proven to be teratogenic in
humans you have got to remember that this drug has only been used
extensively for 10 years.
Please folks if you don't know then don't post
Len Moaven
Senior registrar in virology
VIDRL Fairfield Hospital, Australia
