Transmission of HSV-1 Infection from the Child to the Mother While Breastfeeding: A Case of Herpetic Gingivostomatitis Transmissão da Infeção HSV-1 da Criança para a Mãe Durante a Amamentação: Um Caso de Gengivostomatite Herpética

Abstract

Herpetic gingivostomatitis represents the most common clinical picture in the herpes simplex virus 1 primary infection, affecting mainly children aged 6 months to 5 years, and young adults. The infection is transmitted through droplets of saliva or through direct mucocutaneous contact with an infected individual.
Breastfeeding, despite giving protection to the child, can be a source of infection. However, the cases in the literature describing transmission of the herpes simplex virus from child to mother during breastfeeding are rare.
This case refers to a 14-month-old child hospitalized for food refusal caused by herpetic gingivostomatitis. On the fourth day of hospitalization, the mother had developed herpetic lesions on the nipples.
The goal is to draw attention to the transmission of this virus from the infected child to the mother during breastfeeding.