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Potential Herpes Vaccine Disappoints Researchers
Posted 4 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 4 – A potential vaccine for genital herpes has shown only limited effectiveness in thwarting one type of the sexually transmitted virus and no ability to stop a second type from spreading, a new study shows. A group of American and Canadian researchers conducted a randomized trial on more than 8,300 women aged 18 to 30 who tested negative for both forms of the herpes simplex virus, known as HSV-1 and HSV-2. Half of the women were given the experimental vaccine while the other half were given the hepatitis A vaccine. The experimental vaccine was 58 percent effective at preventing genital warts stemming from HSV-1, but completely ineffective against HSV-2. "We were disappointed it did not meet the primary [goal], which was protection against all types of genital herpes," said study author Dr. Robert B. Belshe, a professor of medicine, pediatrics and molecular microbiology ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex
Older Women Can Benefit From Sex Ed Campaigns
Posted 14 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 – Most campaigns designed to educate people about their sexual health target younger generations, excluding a large number of sexually active women over the age of 50 who need and want this information, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of Florida revealed that although older women are aware of the risks for sexually transmitted diseases, they are not comfortable asking their doctor questions about their sexual health. The study, published in a special issue of the Journal of Consumer Affairs, concluded the communication between women over the age of 50 and their physicians needs improvement. Study author Cynthia Morton and her colleagues pointed out that many health professionals mistakenly think older women already have all the information they need. On the contrary, the study revealed older women need information on how to discuss safe sex ... Read more
Related support groups: HIV Infection, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Herpes Simplex, Trichomoniasis, Chlamydia Infection, Syphilis, Human Papilloma Virus, Condylomata Acuminata, Gonococcal Infection
Genital Herpes Can Be Spread When Lesions Aren't Present: Study
Posted 12 Apr 2011 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, April 12 – People with genital herpes can transmit the virus to partners even when they do not have lesions, new research shows. Although this has been suspected before, "the data here looks really robust," said Fred Wyand, a spokesman for the American Social Health Association. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, affecting some 536 million people worldwide. Sixteen percent of U.S. adults have tested positive for HSV-2, but only 10 percent to 25 percent of those infected recognized the disease. Blood tests to detect HSV-2 became widely available in 1999, making it easier for people to find out if they have genital herpes even if the infection isn't active. Still, previous large government surveys had found that some 80 percent of Americans don't know they have genital herpes, said study co-author Dr. Christine ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex
New STD Report Finds Some Progress, High Costs for U.S.
Posted 23 Nov 2010 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Nov. 22 – The approximately 19 million new sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections that occur each year in the United States cost the health care system about $16.4 billion annually, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its annual STD report released Monday. The data for 2009 shows a continued high burden of STDs but there are some signs of progress, according to the report, which focuses on chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. The national rate of reported gonorrhea cases stands at 99 cases per 100,000 people, its lowest level since record keeping started in 1941, and cases are declining among all racial/ethnic groups (down 17 percent since 2006). Since 2006, chlamydia infections have increased 19 percent to about 409 per 100,000 people. However, the report suggests that this indicates more people than ever are being screened for chlamydia, which is ... Read more
Related support groups: HIV Infection, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Herpes Simplex -- Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Trichomoniasis, Chlamydia Infection, Syphilis, Gonococcal Infection -- Uncomplicated, Human Papilloma Virus, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host, Condylomata Acuminata, Herpes Simplex Encephalitis, Tertiary Syphilis, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host, Trachoma
Research Sheds Light on How Herpes Virus Invades Cells
Posted 7 Jul 2010 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, July 7 – U.S. scientists believe they are getting closer to understanding how the herpes simplex virus invades cells, potentially providing a target for new drugs to fight the virus, researchers say. The scientists used advanced imaging technologies to learn more about the structure and function of the cell-entry protein complex used by the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which causes genital herpes. Complications of this sexually transmitted disease include recurrent painful genital sores, mental distress and, if transmitted from mother to child, potentially fatal infections in newborns. The new research may "help us answer some of the many questions about how herpes virus initiates infection," first author Tirumala K. Chowdary, a postdoctoral associate at Tufts University School of Medicine, explained in a university news release. "Knowing the structures of cell-entry ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex
Herpes Infects One in Six in U.S.
Posted 10 Mar 2010 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, March 9 – As many as one in six Americans is infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), health officials said Tuesday. HSV-2, one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States, is a serious, incurable infection that lasts a lifetime, causing recurrent and painful genital sores, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Preventing STDs is a public health challenge that we, as a nation, cannot afford to ignore," Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, said Tuesday during a news conference. The CDC estimates that 19 million new STD infections occur every year in the United States, almost half of them among young people, Fenton added. "Young women, African Americans, and gay and bisexual men are especially hard hit," he said. "It is unacceptable ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex
Genital Herpes May Never Go Dormant
Posted 1 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18 – Herpes, the sexually transmitted disease that causes genital lesions, never truly goes into a dormant state, new research suggests. As a matter of fact, even when it's not causing an outbreak, the virus is shedding tiny bits of itself in the genital tract. While the study did not specifically address whether or not the very small amounts of virus being continually shed are enough to infect someone else, the findings have the potential to change the way in which scientists view the life cycle of the disease. The herpes virus is believed to hide out in the neurons around the spine during latent periods, then periodically travel down neurons that end in the genital tract, where it infects the skin cells, causing a lesion. The accepted view is that the virus was largely inactive during latent periods, said study author Dr. Joshua Schiffer, a senior fellow at the ... Read more
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Health Tip: Soothing Herpes Pain
Posted 17 Apr 2009 by Drugs.com
-- Herpes blisters are caused by various viruses, and may occur inside the mouth, throughout the body or near the genitals. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help soothe herpes blisters and sores: Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Apply a damp, cool or slightly warm cloth on the sores. Take a lukewarm bath. Keep affected areas clean and dry. Wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothing. Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex
Treatment Target for Herpes Pinpointed
Posted 27 Mar 2009 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, March 27 – Researchers have identified a potential new target in the ongoing quest for a treatment, and possibly a cure, for the herpes virus. A viral protein known as VP16 is apparently responsible for pushing herpes out of its latent state and back into an active infectious state. Experts estimate that 70 percent to 90 percent of people worldwide carry the herpes virus, although not all show symptoms. "It's a huge, huge epidemic," said study author Nancy Sawtell, a researcher in the division of infectious diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Her report appears in the March 26 issue of PLoS Pathogens. Herpes is transmitted by close person-to-person contact, often through the mouth or genitals. This study looks specifically at herpes simplex 1, which can cause cold sores and genital lesions. The virus can also cause stromal keritis, the leading cause of ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex, Herpes Simplex Labialis
In Time, Cream Might Prevent Herpes Transmission
Posted 21 Jan 2009 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21 – A topical treatment that disables genes that play a key role in the transmission of the herpes virus has been developed by U.S. researchers. The treatment uses RNA interference (RNAi) to fight the virus in two ways: by disabling its ability to replicate and by blocking the host cell's ability to take up the virus. In mice, the treatment is effective when used from one week before to a few hours after exposure to the herpes virus. "As far as we could tell, the treatment caused no adverse effects, such as inflammation or any kind of autoimmune response," Judy Lieberman, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a senior investigator at the Immune Disease Institute, said in a Harvard news release. In addition, there was no indication that the treatment interfered with normal cellular function. The research was published in the Jan. 22 issue of the ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex
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