As an STD assistant, I understand your concern. Herpetic whitlow is a viral infection that can occur when herpes simplex virus (HSV) enters the body through breaks in the skin on the fingers or around the nails. While touching someone's HSV-2 sore does pose a risk of transmitting the virus to your finger and potentially causing herpetic whitlow, this isn't guaranteed to happen with one instance of contact.

To minimize this risk:
1. Wash your hands thoroughly after any contact with HSV sores.
2. Avoid touching open sores if possible.
3. If you develop symptoms like pain, redness, swelling on your finger(s), seek medical advice promptly for proper evaluation and management.

It’s always best to practice caution and maintain good hand hygiene when dealing with contagious conditions like herpes to reduce transmission risks effectively.