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Could I Have Transmitted HHV-8 To My Asthmatic Son Through Daily Contact If I Was Infected A Year Ago?
Dear sir I had unprotected vaginal and received oral sex 1 year ago and she has 4-5 Sex partners after i knowing this i tested STD panel 3 and 6 month all are nagetive but I m worrying about HHV 8 because this transfer from sex and Saliva please answer me 1) my son is asthmatic he needs Prednisone 20 mg daily every 6 month for a week and also he want daily steroid inhaler if i already ineffected from HHV 8 i thought it transfer from me to my son what happens next? 2) i read in internet steroids makes low immunity so any problem from HHV 8 to my son 3) how to spread HHV 8 some articles claims it is spread from Saliva so is it possible in daily life i mean using utensils sharing food, drinks, bed, etc 4) i need any blood test? if i need where is blood test available to me i already contacted metropolis and thyrocare but not available in these labs Dear sir I m lot of thinking and worrying about my son because if he will become a immunocompromised from asthama medicine long term using what I do please help me
posted on
Tue, 1 Aug 2023
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 19 Nov 2025
Answered on
Tue, 2 Dec 2025
Last reviewed on
Hello,
You cannot transmit HHV-8 to your son through typical daily family contact. In reality, the transmission of HHV-8 occurs mainly under very specific circumstances:
- Certain sexual exposures
- In people with severe immune suppression, for example, uncontrolled HIV
This is not something that spreads easily in normal household life. Sharing utensils, food, hugging and sleeping in the same bed - these things do not transmit HHV-8 in ordinary families.
You mentioned your exposure was one year ago, and your STD panels at 3 and 6 months were negative for all routine infections. HHV-8 is not usually tested because it is very rare in the general population and is not considered a common sexually transmitted infection in India.
Your son's asthma steroids will not put him at risk from HHV-8 from you. It is very important that the short courses of Prednisone your son takes every few months, and his daily inhaled steroid do not cause the kind of immune suppression that leads to complications with HHV-8.
Children all over the world use inhaled steroids for asthma for years, and they do not suddenly become vulnerable to HHV-8 or similar infections from parents. This is not something you need to worry about. You almost definitely don't have HHV-8. Your exposure was a year ago, and you tested negative for all major STDs already. Testing is usually not done for HHV-8 because the disease is so uncommon and often clinically silent.
In my practice, I don't order HHV-8 tests unless someone has:
• Advanced immune suppression
• Suspicious skin lesions
• Symptoms of Kaposi sarcoma that you do not have
You don't need a blood test for HHV-8. Even large labs in India do not offer it routinely because it is not used for screening. It does not change management in healthy individuals. It is uncommon among the general population. Even if someone has it, they often never get symptoms
Hence, please do not stress yourself trying to find a test; it is not medically indicated in your situation. My candid doctor-to-patient evaluation is that the worry is not from medical risk; it's from fear and guilt about the exposure. This happens quite often, and individuals get caught up in "what if" thoughts. However, based on everything you wrote, your son is safe and you did not transmit HHV-8 to him.
When should you see a doctor? Only if you develop unusual skin patches, persistent swelling, or unexplained weight loss-and even then HHV-8 would still be very unlikely. Otherwise, a general physical check-up is sufficient. You are overthinking a scenario which does not align with real-world medical behavior of the virus. Take a deep breath-your son isn't in any danger from this.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further query I will be happy to help. Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr. Usaid Yousuf, General and Family Physician
You cannot transmit HHV-8 to your son through typical daily family contact. In reality, the transmission of HHV-8 occurs mainly under very specific circumstances:
- Certain sexual exposures
- In people with severe immune suppression, for example, uncontrolled HIV
This is not something that spreads easily in normal household life. Sharing utensils, food, hugging and sleeping in the same bed - these things do not transmit HHV-8 in ordinary families.
You mentioned your exposure was one year ago, and your STD panels at 3 and 6 months were negative for all routine infections. HHV-8 is not usually tested because it is very rare in the general population and is not considered a common sexually transmitted infection in India.
Your son's asthma steroids will not put him at risk from HHV-8 from you. It is very important that the short courses of Prednisone your son takes every few months, and his daily inhaled steroid do not cause the kind of immune suppression that leads to complications with HHV-8.
Children all over the world use inhaled steroids for asthma for years, and they do not suddenly become vulnerable to HHV-8 or similar infections from parents. This is not something you need to worry about. You almost definitely don't have HHV-8. Your exposure was a year ago, and you tested negative for all major STDs already. Testing is usually not done for HHV-8 because the disease is so uncommon and often clinically silent.
In my practice, I don't order HHV-8 tests unless someone has:
• Advanced immune suppression
• Suspicious skin lesions
• Symptoms of Kaposi sarcoma that you do not have
You don't need a blood test for HHV-8. Even large labs in India do not offer it routinely because it is not used for screening. It does not change management in healthy individuals. It is uncommon among the general population. Even if someone has it, they often never get symptoms
Hence, please do not stress yourself trying to find a test; it is not medically indicated in your situation. My candid doctor-to-patient evaluation is that the worry is not from medical risk; it's from fear and guilt about the exposure. This happens quite often, and individuals get caught up in "what if" thoughts. However, based on everything you wrote, your son is safe and you did not transmit HHV-8 to him.
When should you see a doctor? Only if you develop unusual skin patches, persistent swelling, or unexplained weight loss-and even then HHV-8 would still be very unlikely. Otherwise, a general physical check-up is sufficient. You are overthinking a scenario which does not align with real-world medical behavior of the virus. Take a deep breath-your son isn't in any danger from this.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further query I will be happy to help. Wish you good health.
Regards,
Dr. Usaid Yousuf, General and Family Physician