Herpes Simplex Transmission in Day Care

Transmission of herpetic stomatitis in families and in day care centers?

The risk of herpes simplex virus type1 (HSV) transmission in families is not common but has been documented. The risk of spread in day care centers is not known. Transmission appears to require direct contact with secretions containing the virus and kissing should therefore be avoided. Most infants and toddlers with HSV infections are asymptomatic with shedding of virus in saliva occurring in the absence of clinical disease. Only a child with HSV gingivostomatitis (i.e. primary infection) who does not have control of oral secretions should be excluded from childcare. Exclusion of children with cold sores (i.e., recurrent infection) from day care or school is not indicated but the exposed surface does pose a small potential risk to contacts and avoidance of kissing and covering the active lesion is all that is required.

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