Herpes Transmission

[bakhtear]

My wife is pregnant (15 weeks) and she was diagonised having HSV I and HSV II. We are wondering how might either of us get this disease? Her father has that disease (having visible blisters in his mouth and lips). Is that she got it from her father HSV I and then HSV I caused HSV II? Because both of us are sure not having that through sexual intercourse, neither of us have any sex history before our marriage. Then, the only possible option would be she received HSV from her father (may be through skin-to-skin contact), becuase HSV is a contagious disease. Would you please explain whether our hypothesis is right?

Thank you

Bakhtear

[gracefromHHP]

definitely you need proper follow up on this since pregnancy is involved.   starting with getting me her actual test results, I can best help you figure out what additional testing needs done. if neither of you had other partners prior to each other then certainly she doesn't have hsv2. Most adults do have hsv1 whether they can recall obvious cold sores or not so no surprise her hsv1 was +.

grace

[Mistakeguy789]

Sadly your hyposthesis is a little flawed.  Let me explain.

HSV-1 orally (blisters on the lips) would only transmit to a person via skin to skin contact.  As children this is where majority of us get HSV from is the parents who had it and kissed us.  That would explain the HSV-1 pretty easily.

Now the HSV-2 is a different story.  HSV doesn't change from one type to the other type due to location or anything else.  Now if she has HSV-2 genital then she had to have it from a sexual encounter.  Rare would have been from oral sex since HSV-2 is not found commonly in the oral region (best way to explain it is HSV-2 doesn't take to the oral region as well).

Now let me ask some questions so we can best help you.  I take it this was a test your wife's OB/GYN doctor did as a part of the pregnancy is this correct?  

What test was preformed?  Was it an IgG or and IgM?  
Can you provide us with a copy of the result numbers (IE: HSV1 igg 2.34 HSV2 igg 3.99).  

Have you been tested to know your own status?

If she wasn't tested with a Herpes Type Specific IgG test then she had the wrong testing done. Which would mean she needs the IgG testing done.  Her HSV-1 could be positive like I said due to her father.  But you won't know without the correct testing.  

Grace will look at the numbers if you have them or can tell us what testing was done.  If you don't have it call your doctors office and ask for it.