The NHS website carries a warning to parents with a cold sore to be careful when kissing their baby due to the risk of neonatal herpes.
It details the possible risks of neonatal herpes in a young baby. Experts said the younger the baby the more vulnerable they are to the harmful effects of the infection.
This is due to a baby's immune system not being fully developed enough to fight off the virus. Neonatal herpes, which is rare in the UK, is caused by the herpes simplex virus. This virus is much more common and causes cold sores and genital ulcers in adults.
