How contagious is genital herpes if you are living in close quarters (but are not intimate in any way) with someone who is having an outbreak? Are there any specific things to avoid? Which of these things are most likely to transmit the virus?
[ul]
[li]Sharing hand towels[/li][li]Sharing bath towels[/li][li]Sleeping in the same bed[/li][li]Drinking after one another[/li][li]Using the same dishes/utensils (after washing)[/li][li]Using the same bath soap[/li][li]Using the same toilet seat[/li][li]General contact (hand touching, etc.)[/li][/ul]
Any information would be appreciated!
The virus that causes genital herpes can survive on surfaces such as you mention for up to several hours.
These sorts of transmission surfaces (called “fomites”) have not been shown to cause transmission, although that is not an absolute guarantee. Normally you need skin to skin–esp mucus membrane to mucus membrane or wet skin to wet skin–contact.
Certainly washed linens and dishes/tableware are not an issue. It’s a teeny bit more dicey if you share an absolutely recently used toilet seat and you rub your parts exactly where someone else just rubbed theirs…
As an aside, “sleeping in the same bed” is not intimate contact? Didn’t you see Planes Trains and Automobiles?
Those aren’t pillows!
From anecdoteland: My stepmother has oral herpes, has since she was a child and her mother kissed her goodnight while she had a “cold sore”. Our rules growing up were:
Don’t use the blue towels! Those are Mom’s only.
Don’t use the glass mugs with NameofCompany written on them! Those are Mom’s only!
Those were standard everyday rules, whether she had an outbreak or was prodromal or hadn’t had symptoms in months. When she knew a lesion was coming or already had one, then of course there was no kissing - we did “eskimo kisses” instead - and no sharing of food or utensils with Mom.
30some years later, and not even my father has caught it, or any of the three kids, or the half a dozen grandchildren, even though she has regular outbreaks.