One day after giving birth vaginally, a patient develops painful vesicular lesions on her perineum and vulva. She is diagnosed with a primary herpes simplex 2 infection. The expected care for her neonate includes:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In cases where a mother has a primary herpes simplex 2 infection, the neonate is at risk for developing severe disease if infected. The recommended care for the neonate includes intravenous acyclovir and contact precautions to prevent transmission of the virus. Antibiotic eye ointment is not effective against herpes simplex virus, and cultures of blood and CSF and serial chest x-rays are not indicated unless there are signs of disseminated infection. Parental rooming-in and penicillin injections are not relevant to the treatment of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection.

One Day After Giving Birth Vaginally, a Patient Develops Painful