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Herpes Vaccine Trial: Investigational vaccine showed 58% efficacy against HSV-1 genital disease. However, no efficacy against HSV-2 infection was observed. New England Journal of Medicine January 2012; 366:33 While 70 % of the population is infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1, frequent outbreaks of cold sore occur only in a minority. A gene called C21orf91 on chromosome 21 may be responsible for cold sore susceptibility. Journal of Infectious Diseases (2011) 204 (11): 1654
An estimated 16 % of adults and adolescents worldwide are infected with herpes simplex type 2. WHO Bulletin 2008;86:805
About 80% of adults have antibodies to type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1).
One in six individuals aged between 14 and 49 years are infected with genital herpes. Women are infected at almost twice the rate of men. US Study. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In patients co-infected with HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 and who are not on antiretroviral treatment, high dose valacyclovir (1.5 g twice daily) resulted in modest reduction of HIV RNA is plasma and genitalia. No significant reduction on HIV RNA level was observed with standard acyclovir dose (400 mg twice a day). Journal of Infectious Disease, online, October 12, 2011
Herpevac trial was a clinical study investigating a vaccine against genital herpes. Disappointingly, study concluded that the vaccine is ineffective. National Institutes of Health; 30 September 2010 Herpes gladiatorum is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1. The disease occurs in people who engage in sports like wrestling and rugby, which involve close skin-to-skin contact.
Antiviral drugs acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir, used to treat herpes simplex infection, are safe in early pregnancy. Acyclovir is the most extensively documented antiviral and should therefore be the drug of choice in early pregnancy. Journal of American Medical Association 25 August 2010. 304(8) Women are more commonly infected with genital herpes than men. It is estimated that one out of every four women in the United States has herpes. National Institute of allergy and Infectious diseasesStrains of genital herpes in Africa are far more virulent than those in the United States. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, online, April 15, 2011
Study demonstrates that raltegravir (Isentress), the drug used in the treatment of AIDS is effective against herpes virus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010; 107 (37): 16078
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS)can occur with the use of medicines like anticonvulsants, allopurinol, sulfa and minocycline. Reactivation of human herpes virus types 6 & 7 is implicated in the pathogenesis of DRESS. Science Translational Medicine 2010 Aug 25; 2:1.
Herpes simplex virus 1 which causes cold sore may be partially responsible for the cognitive impairment in schizophrenic patients. Why schizophrenia might make brain more vulnerable to herpes viral assault is unknown. But, the study suggests that antiviral medications help schizophrenic patients who have antibodies against HSV-1. Schizophrenia Research May 2010
The US FDA has approved a hydrocortisone plus acyclovir cream for the early treatment of recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores)
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