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Can STD Be Contracted Through Skin Contact In An Infant?
Question: Dear Doctor,
I was worried about my 8 months old baby contracting any STD through my neighbour lady.
That lady was very risky lady with too many sexual relationship. 6 months back when i returned from office when my baby was playing together with other child i saw that lady was keeping her finger in my babies mouth. I was worried if she has transmitted any STD through her finger to my babies mouth. What is the risk of Contracting STDs like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV, Hepatitis B&C, VDRL and Herpes. My worries are if she has touched her mouth and immediately put fingers in my babies mouth there may be saliva or blood mixed with saliva may be present. So im worried my baby may be contracted something through this.
Doctor please help me
I was worried about my 8 months old baby contracting any STD through my neighbour lady.
That lady was very risky lady with too many sexual relationship. 6 months back when i returned from office when my baby was playing together with other child i saw that lady was keeping her finger in my babies mouth. I was worried if she has transmitted any STD through her finger to my babies mouth. What is the risk of Contracting STDs like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV, Hepatitis B&C, VDRL and Herpes. My worries are if she has touched her mouth and immediately put fingers in my babies mouth there may be saliva or blood mixed with saliva may be present. So im worried my baby may be contracted something through this.
Doctor please help me
Brief Answer:
Practically there is no risk except a low risk of Hsv
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us
I am dr.kakkar(dermatologist). I have gone through your query and i have noted your concern.
STDs are commonly transmitted through direct sexual contact i.e either vaginal, anal or oral sec. The scenario that you presume is hypothetical and extremely rare i.e transmission through fingers contaminated with blood mixed saliva. Presence of oral sores is a pre-requisite for this to happen.
Gonorrhea or chlamydia infect throat mucosa but not oral mucosa so it is unlikely that these could be transmitted through saliva. Moreover since these are not blood borne infections so there is no possibility of transmission through blood contaminated saliva.
Hiv and syphilis though can be transmitted through blood contaminated saliva but these infections are unlikely assuming this scenario is extremely rare (whether she put her finger in her own mouth before putting it into the child mouth is just an assumption on your part and thats because you are very caring for your baby and secondly you obviously are not sure if she had oral sores in her mouth at that time). Moreover these infecting organism does nt survive outside the body for more than a few seconds and die out quickly on drying or exposure to air.
Hepatitis B is usually transmitted through sexual route and transfusion of blood and Hepatitis C through sharing of needles or blood transfusion.
The only possibility that I can consider is a low risk of transmission of Hsv if she put saliva contaminated finger in the child mouth. This is because a hsv can be present in saliva, albiet at low concentration, even without any mucosal sores.
Regards
Practically there is no risk except a low risk of Hsv
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us
I am dr.kakkar(dermatologist). I have gone through your query and i have noted your concern.
STDs are commonly transmitted through direct sexual contact i.e either vaginal, anal or oral sec. The scenario that you presume is hypothetical and extremely rare i.e transmission through fingers contaminated with blood mixed saliva. Presence of oral sores is a pre-requisite for this to happen.
Gonorrhea or chlamydia infect throat mucosa but not oral mucosa so it is unlikely that these could be transmitted through saliva. Moreover since these are not blood borne infections so there is no possibility of transmission through blood contaminated saliva.
Hiv and syphilis though can be transmitted through blood contaminated saliva but these infections are unlikely assuming this scenario is extremely rare (whether she put her finger in her own mouth before putting it into the child mouth is just an assumption on your part and thats because you are very caring for your baby and secondly you obviously are not sure if she had oral sores in her mouth at that time). Moreover these infecting organism does nt survive outside the body for more than a few seconds and die out quickly on drying or exposure to air.
Hepatitis B is usually transmitted through sexual route and transfusion of blood and Hepatitis C through sharing of needles or blood transfusion.
The only possibility that I can consider is a low risk of transmission of Hsv if she put saliva contaminated finger in the child mouth. This is because a hsv can be present in saliva, albiet at low concentration, even without any mucosal sores.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Doctor,
Thanks for your valuable reply.
1) Chlamydia and Gonorrhea if it is present in throat will does it have some in front portion of the mouth? Will that small portion may have a chance to transmit? Since it is in fingers it is out of the body. Will it die immediately when it leaves host from the body or it will take some time to die after coming out of the body? May be they will take atleast 10 seconds to put the finger in babies mouth after taking finger from her mouth.
2) I dint see any blood particles in her hand but invisble blood will transmit hiv or Hepatitis or Syphilis?
3) It happened 4.5 months back. Will the babies be symptomatic if transmission happened?
4) Regarding Herpes I dint see any cold sore on that lady mouth. Will herpes transmitted without sore?
5) Does STD dies once it leaves the body even it is wet or it has to dry completely.
Thanks for your valuable reply.
1) Chlamydia and Gonorrhea if it is present in throat will does it have some in front portion of the mouth? Will that small portion may have a chance to transmit? Since it is in fingers it is out of the body. Will it die immediately when it leaves host from the body or it will take some time to die after coming out of the body? May be they will take atleast 10 seconds to put the finger in babies mouth after taking finger from her mouth.
2) I dint see any blood particles in her hand but invisble blood will transmit hiv or Hepatitis or Syphilis?
3) It happened 4.5 months back. Will the babies be symptomatic if transmission happened?
4) Regarding Herpes I dint see any cold sore on that lady mouth. Will herpes transmitted without sore?
5) Does STD dies once it leaves the body even it is wet or it has to dry completely.
Brief Answer:
I don't think there is any risk of STD to the child
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea infect throat mucosa and not oral mucosa. The organism might survive a few seconds outside the body but it dies quickly on drying.
Blood contaminated saliva (even if not frankly visible blood) can transmit infection but this is extremely rare and low risk.
The infectivity depends on a lot of factors like the viral load, whether she is on treatment and whether or not she has oral sores and whether she put the finger in her mouth before she put it in the baby mouth. It is a matter of speculation.
As far as I am concerned i don't see that there was any risk of STD through her fingers because you are not even sure that did she put fingers in her own mouth before putting it into baby's mouth (and whether she had sores)? Why would anyone do that? It is not a normal practice. You can ask her directly about this. It she denies that would allay your fears.
However, if you are very concerned you may go for a STD screening test including Hsv, Hiv, vdrl, Hep B. Most likely it would turn up as negative and that would put your mind at ease.
STD are not always symptomatic and the infection may be silent e.g Hiv, hsv , syphilis etc all may be silent and present with signs and symptoms later on.
Therefore whether she had sores or not, it does nt matter. Herpes can be transmitted even without sores. The same applies to your child. Absence of symptoms is not a criteria to rule out STD infection.
To summarize- The nature of exposure does not prompt me to test for STD in this case
Regards
I don't think there is any risk of STD to the child
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea infect throat mucosa and not oral mucosa. The organism might survive a few seconds outside the body but it dies quickly on drying.
Blood contaminated saliva (even if not frankly visible blood) can transmit infection but this is extremely rare and low risk.
The infectivity depends on a lot of factors like the viral load, whether she is on treatment and whether or not she has oral sores and whether she put the finger in her mouth before she put it in the baby mouth. It is a matter of speculation.
As far as I am concerned i don't see that there was any risk of STD through her fingers because you are not even sure that did she put fingers in her own mouth before putting it into baby's mouth (and whether she had sores)? Why would anyone do that? It is not a normal practice. You can ask her directly about this. It she denies that would allay your fears.
However, if you are very concerned you may go for a STD screening test including Hsv, Hiv, vdrl, Hep B. Most likely it would turn up as negative and that would put your mind at ease.
STD are not always symptomatic and the infection may be silent e.g Hiv, hsv , syphilis etc all may be silent and present with signs and symptoms later on.
Therefore whether she had sores or not, it does nt matter. Herpes can be transmitted even without sores. The same applies to your child. Absence of symptoms is not a criteria to rule out STD infection.
To summarize- The nature of exposure does not prompt me to test for STD in this case
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Doctor,
How long after infection babies will produce antibodies? Plz explain the time for each std bcoz each one varies in showing up in blood test.
How long after infection babies will produce antibodies? Plz explain the time for each std bcoz each one varies in showing up in blood test.
Brief Answer:
You can test even today
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Since its already been 4.5 months therefore you can test it today itself. All STDs will have detectable antibodies beyond 3 months of infection
Regards
You can test even today
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Since its already been 4.5 months therefore you can test it today itself. All STDs will have detectable antibodies beyond 3 months of infection
Regards
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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