A two-week-old baby was hospitalized at Wolfson Medical Center with a severe herpes infection after contracting the virus during a brit milah (Jewish ritual circumcision) that involved direct oral suction, also known as metzitzah b’peh.
Doctors found that the virus had reached the infant’s cerebrospinal fluid, indicating that the infection had penetrated the central nervous system, a life-threatening condition in newborns whose immune systems are not yet fully developed.
The infant was rushed to the hospital after developing concerning lesions in the circumcision area and showing a rapid deterioration in his condition, requiring immediate hospitalization.
After an extensive series of tests, including a lumbar puncture, doctors discovered that the herpes virus had entered the baby’s cerebrospinal fluid.
Dr. Diana Tasher, head of the pediatric department at Wolfson Medical Center and a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, described the case as deeply troubling.
PERCEPTION RESET 