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About 7,500 women are being recruited at sites across the country to participate in the Herpevac Trial for Women. "It is an important area because one out of four women in the [United States] develop genital herpes," as do one out of five males, said Dr. Stanley A. Gall, principal investigator at University of Louisville, which hopes to begin recruiting participants after Feb. 1. According to CDC, as many as 1 million people nationwide become infected with genital herpes each year. Because there is no foolproof way to prevent genital herpes and infected people harbor the virus forever, the ability to prevent infection with a vaccine would be significant, said Gall. If a women has herpes, her baby can suffer severe neurological damage or death if sores are present at delivery. A vaccine "could be a really important thing for the health care of women," Gall noted. Study participants will receive three shots over a six-month period to protect against herpes and then will be tracked for several more months, said Dr. Kenneth Fife, principal investigator for the trial at the Indiana University Infectious Disease Research Group. To participate in the study, women cannot have been exposed to herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 or 2. Genital herpes is typically caused by HSV-2. HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes but more commonly results in cold sores. Men are excluded from the trial because the vaccine was previously found to be ineffective in men, Fife said. Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.) (01.15.04)::Darla Carter We are providing the above information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases does not constitute endorsement. The above summaries were prepared without conducting any additional research or investigation into the facts and statements made in the articles being summarized, and therefore readers are expressly cautioned against relying on the validity or invalidity of any statements made in these summaries. This CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on MMWR articles, fact sheets and announcements.
Many people mistakenly refer to type 2 as "genital herpes," and type 1 as "oral herpes," when in fact, Herpes types 1 and 2 can and do infect either area. While many people have type 1 oral infections and type 1 or 2 genital infections as well, it is extremely rare for a person to have infections with type 1 and type 2 simultaneously in the same location. Herpes Simplex Type 1 (HSV-1) is the virus responsible of "cold sores" which are known as fever blisters, This virus is related to, but not the same as, the HSV-2 virus which causes genital herpes. Oral-facial herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infection is a common, worldwide problem. HSV is an acronym for the Herpes Simplex Virus. Research has shown that between 50 to 80% of all Americans carry the antibodies to HSV-1. Between 10 to 20% of that population suffers recurring outbreaks. Even though a person may visibly show no signs of recurrence, it is possible for a person to pass the HSV-1 virus. A staggering number of people, even those who have been infected for years, are unaware that these oral/facial outbreaks are a form of Herpes, and are therefore highly contagious. There is very little public awareness, education, or discussion of Herpes. Most people are infected with the virus by the time they are 10-years-old. Studies in the United States indicate that 30 to 60 percent of children under the age of 10 years have been exposed to the virus. The incidence of infection steadily increases with age, reaching 80 to 90 percent among adults 50 years of age and older. The virus usually enters the body through the mouth. The initial contact with the disease does not result in a cold sore, but can be either asymptomatic (no obvious symptoms of infection) or with symptoms more readily associated with an upper respiratory infection, and often lesions in the mouth. Following the initial episode, the virus moves away from the nerve endings up into portions of the nervous system close to the lips. The HSV-1 virus remains in the body for the remainder of the person's life. What causes approximately one-third of those initially infected to suffer from recurrent cold sores is unknown. However, for those individuals who do suffer from recurrent cold sores, certain triggers will initiate the development of a cold sore. Serology is an effective way to diagnose subclinical HSV type 2 infections, but currently most available tests are of limited value because they cannot accurately discriminate between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies. Because herpes virus types 1 and 2 share many common antigens, there is considerable cross-reactivity among most type 1 and type 2 enzyme immunoassays (EIA) based on whole viral proteins. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys have shown that the estimated seroprevalence of herpes simplex 2 in individuals over 12 years of age is greater than 20% and increasing. The prevalence in women is about 8% higher than in men (25.6% versus 17.8%). Subclinical infections are present in 90% of those infected with HSV-2. This lack of awareness of infection contributes to virus spread. With the high prevalence of HSV-2 in the population, the risk of contracting herpes is significant in those individuals who have multiple sex partners. We offer an HSV-2 specific glycoprotein G IgG assay and an HSV-1 specific glycoprotein G IgG in our serology laboratory. Both these tests have high sensitivities and specificities (99% and 98% respectively for HSV-2 and 96% and 97% for HSV-1). Serum levels may take 4-6 weeks to reach their peak with HSV-2 initial infections. Studies suggest that many patients seeking care for sexually transmitted disease (STD) are interested in learning their herpes status. These new serological tests can be used as part of the STD workup. This is especially true in pregnant women in their third trimester where the risk of herpes transmission through an infected birth canal is high following genital herpes acquisition. STDWeB provides only health screening services. Tests are provided only for personal information and/or risk identification purposes. STDWeB does not diagnose or treat medical conditions. STDWeB screenings do not take the place of a physician care. Transactions with STDWeB are confidential and will not be shared with third parties. Tests with "positive" or "indeterminate" result may require confirmatory testing and may involve additional charges. |