In a message dated 97-10-01 10:37:19 EDT, Karen Foard writes (in part):

<< ...I am still confused as to understanding what would be the
recommendations for this mother/baby pair....Her toddler has been diagnosed
with multiple HSV lesions in mouth and down throat.  He is still nursing 5-10
times a day/night. She had an active lesion on her lip about 1 1/2 weeks
before he broke out.

 He has been prescribed Acyclovir. She has been told to not nurse for 48
 hours, presumably until the meds kick in and make him less infectious (?)
 with the rationale being that his nursing (after the dx, regardless of that
 he was nursing before the dx) may trigger/apply the virus to her nipples
 and put future babies at risk; compounding this, she is 7 weeks pregnant.

 Do any of you know this to be true?>>

Yes.  The herpes simplex virus is spread by coming into contact with the
sores.  The sores are infectious until completed scabbed over.  After the
primary (and usually most severe) infectious outbreak is over, the affected
person may never have another outbreak, or may have infrequent or frequent
outbreaks of herpes lesions.  The affected person may also start shedding the
virus shortly BEFORE the lesions appear.  Herpes can be transferred to the
breast, and from the breast to the newborn.  Herpes can be fatal in babies
less than a month old.

<<Would it be prudent therefore for *any* mom who gets HSV outbreaks to be
FASTIDIOUS about not touching her breasts during an outbreak?>>

I don't know if it's necessary to go that far.  The mother is most likely to
get infected if there is direct contact between a herpes lesion and the
mother's nipple.  If she touches her mouth (or her toddler's mouth) with her
hands, she can always wash her hands before touching her breast.

<<Is this a woman's/baby's health issue for ANYONE who gets the cold sore
variety of this virus?>>

First, I'm not sure what you mean by the "cold sore variety" of this virus.
 Way back when, most cases of oral cold sores were caused by HSV I, and
genital herpes was caused by HSV II.  Since then an increased incidence of
oral-genital contact has muddied the waters...

When I worked as an NICU nurse, we had to wear face masks if we had active
cold sores on the lips---not that we were likely to kiss the babies, but the
hospital wanted to be sure!  And we cautioned the mother of any newborn
against having visitors with oral sores kiss the baby...

<<This mom doesn't WANT to wean, she has been off the breast even before
calling me, and is wondering is the 48 hours enough?  Should she wean now in
order to not put next (future) babies at risk?>>

I can't answer this...I hope someone else can help.

Rita
LLL of Menlo Park/Palo Alto, California