Hi, well the good thing about whitlow is that it doesnot shed so its only contagious when a lesion is present. Since you have it in your hand ganglion you are basicly immune to passing to to another body part.
Whats important to remember is that it doesnot shed like oral or genital infection.
I would love to know where you got your information. There is so much conflicting information online. And the nurse practitioner told me something different. I just want to be sure.
Thank you so much for this! I will continue to research, but your answer gives me great hope! So you really think I don't have any viral shedding genitally if I have whitlow?
How was your finger actually tested? Where exactly are the sores and what do they look like?
I was having an outbreak, and went in to have it tested. The nurse practitioner cut open the blister and tested it. I had to insist he do this.
I get the characteristic itching, tingling and redness at different locations on my right index finger only. The blisters begin to swell and fill with liquid, mostly clear liquid. The finger gets very tender. Unfortunately, since I was diagnosed with MRSA last year in that same finger, I assumed each recurrence was MRSA. MRSA infections need to be drained to get better. So I was playing doctor at home and cutting the blisters open and draining them. And that is exactly what you don't do with herpes blisters. Luckily, I have been keeping them covered since MRSA is also something you don't want to be spreading.
During the past several outbreaks, I got a red line up my arm, swelling in my lymphnodes in my underarm, and where the redness is, it's very sore. After what I've read, I think I'm pretty damn lucky I didn't get herpes encephalitis. The virus seemed to be spreading up my arm and probably sooner or later throughout my body.
The valtrex has helped immensely, and for now, it is an ongoing suppressive prescription, not just for outbreaks.
I have never had those types of sores anywhere else on my body.