The Deadly Infection That Killed a Man in California Because both parents tested negative for the herpes virus, doctors concluded that Mariana contracted it from someone else she’d come into contact with. Mariana’s mother, Nicole Sifrit, believes that a person infected with the virus “likely touched Mariana’s hand, which she then put into her mouth,” People reports.
Sifrit hopes that her family’s devastating loss will help save other children. “Keep your babies isolated,” she told Iowa's WHO TV. “Don’t let just anyone come visit them. Make sure they are constantly washing their hands. Don’t let people kiss your baby and make sure they ask before they pick up your baby.”
Of course, complete isolation is easier said than done, and many worried parents may be wondering if they’re doing enough to protect their vulnerable newborns. To learn more, Health spoke with Nadia Qureshi, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Loyola University Health System in Chicago. Here’s what she says everyone should know about keeping newborns safe.