management
Last reviewed 01/2018
The most appropriate form of management is prevention; in mothers known to have active genital Herpes simplex infection at the time of delivery there is an approximate 50% risk of the development of a severe infection in the child. In this situation elective Caesarian would be undertaken in most centres.
Other actions include:
- isolate mother and child, from other neonates
- the mother should be advised on hygiene and cover active herpetic lesions
- breast feeding is permissible if there are no lesions on the breasts
- acyclovir reduces mortality