What Is Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)? Mother Raises Awareness About Neonatal Herpes After Baby’s Death; Check Types, Symptoms And Prevention

Mother in the United Kingdom warns about dangers of HSV in infants following her daughter Magnolia’s death from a very serious HSV-1 infection at the age of 10 days in February 2026. The mother of Magnolia, Meg Edmonds, told her story through Lullaby Trust, which is a charity organization in the UK promoting safe infant care to raise the awareness about the possible risk of the infection.

As Edmonds explains in her story available on the charity’s website, she suffered from a primary HSV infection of her mouth right before giving birth. She noted that she was unaware at the time that the signs she was having might indicate an HSV infection and that the infection can be hazardous for a baby. Edmonds considers that the infection could reach her breast and be passed to Magnolia through breastfeeding. As the woman explains, she only found out about a possible herpes infection in breast milk after her baby’s death. This information is the opinion of the mother and cannot be considered medical evidence.

What Is Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)?

Herpes simplex virus is one of the most prevalent viruses and can cause infections around the mouth, lips, and genitals. Some patients will experience visible sores or blisters; however, some patients do not experience any symptoms at all.

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HSV can be very dangerous in newborn babies as their immune systems are immature. The HSV infection in a newborn is referred to as neonatal herpes. It can cause an infection in the skin, eyes, and mouth, central nervous system, or multiple organs, depending on the type of infection.

Even though neonatal herpes is a rare condition, it can lead to severe complications or even death. It is estimated that about 10 out of 100,000 births in the world suffer from neonatal herpes.

What Are The Types Of Herpes Simplex Virus?

Two types of herpes simplex viruses are known to exist:

• Type-1 HSV: The type-1 form of HSV is mostly linked to oral herpes. This includes herpes of the mouth and lips. The type can also lead to genital herpes. Transmission of HSV-1 occurs due to contact with sores, saliva, or mouth skin.
• Type-2 HSV: The type-2 form of HSV is mostly linked to genital herpes. Transmission of this type occurs due to sexual contact. The type can also be transmitted in the absence of visible sores.
• Type-1 and Type-2 forms of HSV can result in neonatal herpes infection. The infection can occur at the time of delivery or later through contact with the infected individual.

The case narrated by Edmonds relates to the type-1 form of HSV. She notes that oral herpes is not limited to adults. The infection can be fatal for newborn babies.

How Does Herpes Simplex Virus Spread To Newborns?