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Herpes Simplex News
Semen Harbors Wide Range of Viruses
Posted 10 days ago by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 13, 2017 – Human semen provides a potential hiding place and breeding ground for a host of dangerous viruses, a new evidence review reports. The analysis of current medical literature revealed genetic evidence of 27 infectious viruses found in semen, including dread-inducing agents like Zika, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever and chikungunya, along with mumps, Epstein-Barr and chicken pox. "Clinicians and researchers need to consider the possibility that traditionally non-sexually transmitted viruses can persist in semen, and this therefore raises the possibility of sexual transmission," said lead researcher Alex Salam. He is a clinical researcher with the University of Oxford's epidemic diseases research group in the United Kingdom. However, the presence of viruses in semen does not mean that every virus can be sexually transmitted, the researchers noted. "Detection means ... Read more
Related support groups: Hepatitis C, HIV Infection, Herpes Simplex, Hepatitis B, Viral Infection, Exposure to Hepatitis B Virus, Mumps Polyneuropathy
Most U.S. Teens Aren't 'Doing It'
Posted 22 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, June 22, 2017 – Sex is everywhere in the media, and so you may be convinced that today's teens are always looking to "hook-up." But new federal research says it's just not so. Instead, the study found that most teenagers in high school aren't sexually active. "The myth is that every kid in high school is having sex, and it's not true," noted Dr. Cora Breuner, a professor of pediatrics at Seattle Children's Hospital, who reviewed the findings. "It's less than half, and it's been less than half for more than 10 years," she said. The study found that only 42 percent of girls and 44 percent of boys aged 15 to 19 reported having sex at least once. And Breuner said that finding is nothing new. Going back to 2002, fewer than half of older teens told researchers that they are sexually active, federal data show. Further, most teens who choose to go all the way wind up losing their ... Read more
Related support groups: Birth Control, Contraception, Plan B, Emergency Contraception, Mirena, Nexplanon, Depo-Provera, Provera, NuvaRing, Sprintec, Implanon, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Tri-Sprintec, Microgestin Fe 1/20, Yasmin, Plan B One-Step, Loestrin 24 Fe, Ortho Evra, TriNessa, Lutera
Vaginal Bacteria May Affect Herpes and Zika Transmission
Posted 9 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, June 9, 2017 – Vaginal bacteria may affect the sexually transmitted Zika virus and herpes simplex virus-2, possibly helping to protect women from these infections, a new study suggests. "The human vagina has a wide array of bacterial species living in communities called the microbiome; these are very important for a woman's health," study lead author Megan Amerson said. She's a doctoral student at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The researchers ran a series of laboratory experiments to see how different bacterial environments affected how well the viruses survived and replicated. Amerson's team used transplanted vaginal microbiome samples from healthy donors. Cultures with more Lactobacillus bacteria were considered the more healthy environment. Lactobacillus is normally found in the mix of bacteria in a healthy vagina, the researchers explained. They found ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Zika Virus Infection, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis
4 in 10 U.S. Adults Under 60 Carry HPV
Posted 6 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, April 6, 2017 – Nearly half of American men and women under 60 are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV), putting them at risk for certain cancers, federal health officials reported Thursday. More than 45 percent of men were infected with genital HPV in 2013-2014, while 25 percent were infected with high-risk genital HPV. At the same time, about 40 percent of women carried genital HPV, while almost 20 percent had high-risk genital HPV, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some types of HPV can cause genital warts and are considered low risk, with a small chance for causing cancer, the CDC report said. Other types are believed to be high risk and can cause cancer in different parts of the body. Those areas include the cervix and vagina in women, the penis in men, and the anus and neck in both genders. However, the HPV vaccine has the ... Read more
Related support groups: Cancer, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Cold sores, Herpes Simplex, Gardasil, Cervical Cancer, Herpes Simplex Labialis, Cervarix, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, Human Papillomavirus Prophylaxis, Vaccination and Prophlaxis, Gardasil 9
Genital Herpes Vaccine Shows Promise in Animal Trials
Posted 20 Jan 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Jan. 19, 2017 – A new vaccine for genital herpes could be nearing human clinical trials, researchers say. The vaccine has proven effective in animals against herpes simplex virus 2, the sexually transmitted virus that causes genital herpes, according to a new report. The new "trivalent" vaccine targets three different parts of the virus, shutting down its ability to enter cells and to evade detection by the immune system, said senior researcher Dr. Harvey Friedman. He's a professor with the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's Institute for Immunology. In lab studies, the vaccine proved 98 percent effective in protecting guinea pigs against genital herpes infection, Friedman and his colleagues reported. The vaccine also promoted an immune response in monkeys, increasing the levels of antibodies targeting the virus, the study authors said. The vaccine's developers ... Read more
Related support groups: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Cold sores, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Zostavax, Yellow Fever Vaccine, Gardasil, Herpes Simplex Labialis, Viral Infection, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host, Hepatitis B Adult Vaccine, Rabies Vaccine, Human Diploid Cell, FluLaval, Varicella Virus Vaccine, Rubella Virus Vaccine, Afluria, Rotarix, Cervarix, Smallpox Vaccine
Routine Testing for Genital Herpes of Little Benefit: U.S. Experts
Posted 20 Dec 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2016 – Routine blood test screening for genital herpes is not recommended for teens and adults – including pregnant women – who don't have any signs or symptoms of the sexually transmitted disease (STD), a panel of U.S. health care experts says. The newly released recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirms one issued in 2005. After reviewing available evidence, the group concluded that the potential harms of screening outweigh the benefits. Blood test screening for genital herpes is highly inaccurate and there is no cure, so screening, early identification and treatment are unlikely to affect the course of the disease, according to the task force. The recommendation was published online Dec. 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The task force is an independent panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based ... Read more
Related support groups: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Gardasil, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, Cervarix, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis, Gardasil 9
Pubic Grooming Tied to Higher STD Rates
Posted 6 Dec 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2016 – Brazilian bikini waxing and similar forms of personal grooming may be all the rage, but they come with a heightened risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease, new research suggests. The study found that frequent groomers of pubic hair are three to four times more likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection, such as herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) or syphilis. "Grooming is linked to a heightened self-reported sexually transmitted disease risk, and for those who groom frequently or remove all of their hair often, the association is even higher," said lead researcher Dr. Charles Osterberg. He's an assistant professor of urology and surgery at the University of Texas Dell Medical School in Austin. Still, the study didn't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between pubic grooming and sexually transmitted infections, it was only designed to ... Read more
Related support groups: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Cold sores, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Human Papilloma Virus, Syphilis, Herpes Simplex Labialis, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host, Cervical Dysplasia, Human Papillomavirus Prophylaxis, Neurosyphilis, Tertiary Syphilis, Syphilis - Early, Syphilis - Latent, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis
Injections Might Help Prevent Genital Herpes Transmission for Months: Study
Posted 3 Nov 2016 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2, 2016 – Three injections of a therapeutic vaccine may control genital herpes as effectively as daily pills for at least a year, a new study suggests. Researchers tested the experimental vaccine in 310 people with herpes from 17 centers around the United States. The three shots, administered three weeks apart, appeared to reduce patients' genital lesions and the process of "viral shedding" in which they can spread the disease through sexual contact. Infectious disease experts hailed the vaccine as a promising development in the treatment of genital herpes. The incurable disease affects about one in every six people ages 14 to 49 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "In general terms, people receiving [the vaccine] have greater than 50 percent fewer days in which virus is present in their genital tracts, which in theory ... Read more
Related support groups: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host, Diagnosis and Investigation, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis
Task Force: Routine Genital Herpes Screening Not Recommended
Posted 2 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Aug. 2, 2016 – A U.S. federal task force is prepared to recommend that teens, adults and pregnant women not be routinely tested for genital herpes if they don't have signs of infection. About one in every six Americans between the ages of 14 and 49 has genital herpes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease, which is transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex, causes symptoms like blisters, discharge, burning and bleeding between periods. Though symptoms can be treated, genital herpes is incurable. In support of its proposed guidelines, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the benefit of routine herpes screening is small, because early treatments aren't likely to make much of a difference. "Because there's no cure, there isn't much doctors and nurses can do for people who don't have symptoms," Dr. Maureen Phipps said in a news ... Read more
Related support groups: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Cold sores, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Herpes Simplex Labialis, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis, Herpes Simplex Otitis Externa
Study Dashes Millennials' Reputation as Hookup Generation
Posted 2 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Aug. 2, 2016 – A new study contradicts the common perception that young American adults – so-called Millennials – are having more casual sex than previous generations. Researchers analyzed decades of national data. They found 15 percent of young adults aged 20 to 24 born in the early 1990s (Millennials) had no sexual partners since age 18, compared with 6 percent of Americans born in the late 1960s (Generation Xers). Only people born in the 1920s reported having less sex in their early 20s. The drop in sexual activity between Generation Xers and Millennials was larger among women (2.3 percent to 5.4 percent) than men (1.7 percent to 1.9 percent). Whites were more likely to say they had no sexual partners as young adults (1.6 percent to 3.9 percent) than blacks (steady at 2.6 percent). The findings challenge "the widespread notion that Millennials are the 'hookup' generation, ... Read more
Related support groups: Birth Control, Contraception, Emergency Contraception, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chlamydia Infection, Postcoital Contraception, Cold sores, Trichomoniasis, Herpes Simplex, Syphilis, Herpes Simplex Labialis, Trachoma, Gonococcal Infection, Psittacosis
Experimental Genital Herpes Drug Shows Promise
Posted 20 Jun 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, June 20, 2016 – An experimental immune-boosting treatment for genital herpes shows promise, researchers report. The drug, called GEN-003, may reduce both virus activity and the number of days with recurrent herpes in patients. The treatment is given in a series of three injections and appears to last for up to one year, the investigators said. The researchers tested the vaccine on 310 people with a history of chronic, recurrent genital herpes. The findings were to be presented Monday at an American Society for Microbiology meeting in Boston. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. The study was funded by Genocea Biosciences, the Cambridge, Mass.-based company that makes the drug. "GEN-003 is believed to work through a different pathway from most vaccines by recruiting T-cells, which are critical to controlling chronic ... Read more
Related support groups: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Herpes Simplex, Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis
Condom Use Falls When Teen Girls Opt for IUDs vs. The Pill
Posted 14 Mar 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, March 14, 2016 – High school girls who use long-acting contraception – such as IUDs or implants – are less likely to focus on condom use than girls who are on the Pill, a new study finds. Experts say the finding shows that many young women aren't paying enough attention to the dangers of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which condoms help prevent. "We need to work on crafting a clear message about pregnancy prevention and STI prevention," Dr. Julia Potter, of the Boston Medical Center, and Dr. Karen Soren, of Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, wrote in a related editorial. "Dual protection for sexually active adolescents should be encouraged, so that adolescents are not exposed to the risk of pregnancy or the risk of STIs as a result of selecting condom use vs. effective contraception use," they said. The new study was led by Riley Steiner, of the ... Read more
Related support groups: Birth Control, Contraception, Plan B, Emergency Contraception, Mirena, Nexplanon, Depo-Provera, Provera, NuvaRing, Sprintec, Implanon, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Tri-Sprintec, Microgestin Fe 1/20, Yasmin, Plan B One-Step, Loestrin 24 Fe, Ortho Evra, TriNessa, Lutera
CDC: Too Few Schools Teach Prevention of HIV, STDs, Pregnancy
Posted 9 Dec 2015 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 9, 2015 – Too few U.S. schools teach students how to protect themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, how to prevent pregnancy, and other important sexual health information, federal officials reported Wednesday. In most of the country, fewer than half of high schools and only one-fifth of middle schools teach all 16 sexual health education topics recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 44 states, the proportion of high schools that teach all 16 topics in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12 ranges from 21 percent in Arizona to 90 percent in New Jersey. Only three states – New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York – have more than 75 percent of high schools teaching all of the topics. The proportion of middle schools that teach all 16 topics in grades 6, 7 or 8 ranges from 4 percent in Arizona to 46 percent in North Carolina. No state ... Read more
Related support groups: Birth Control, Contraception, Plan B, Emergency Contraception, Mirena, Nexplanon, Depo-Provera, Provera, NuvaRing, Sprintec, Implanon, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Tri-Sprintec, Microgestin Fe 1/20, Yasmin, Plan B One-Step, Loestrin 24 Fe, Ortho Evra, TriNessa, Lutera
Herpes Virus Tied to Angina Risk, Study Suggests
Posted 16 Jun 2015 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, June 16, 2015 – There seems to be a higher risk of angina – chest pain related to clogged blood vessels – in the small number of people who have a type of herpes virus lurking in their genes, a new study suggests. Canadian researchers found that people with this inherited condition face three times the risk of angina as others. About 1 percent of people in the world appear to have this increased risk. There's no way to get rid of the genetic condition, because it is in a person's DNA, said study co-author Louis Flamand, vice chair of the department of microbiology-immunology at Laval University in Quebec, Canada. However, "as a preventive measure, subjects could be monitored more closely for the development of cardiovascular diseases," he said. "Considering that testing is simple, we propose that testing could be added to the list of genetic tests being performed on every ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Zoster, Angina, Herpes Simplex, Angina Pectoris Prophylaxis
Many Americans Under 50 Living With Cold Sore Virus
Posted 11 May 2015 by Drugs.com
SATURDAY, May 9, 2015 – More than half of Americans aged 14 to 49 carry the virus that causes cold sores – those small blisters around the mouth that may come and go, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). "Cold sores may appear just once in a person's lifetime or return again and again," said Dr. Bruce Brod, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, in an AAD news release. Cold sores are caused by a virus that stays in the body, even when there are no active cold sores, according to the AAD. Sometimes people mistake cold sores for canker sores. But canker sores aren't caused by a virus, and they occur inside – rather than outside – the mouth, according to Brod. Certain factors can trigger cold sores. The list includes stress and fatigue, sun exposure, cold and flu, fever, hormonal changes due ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Acyclovir, Cold sores, Herpes Simplex - Suppression, Herpes Simplex, Zovirax, Herpes Simplex Labialis, Famciclovir, Famvir, Sitavig, Zovirax Cream, Denavir, Herplex, Zovirax Topical, Acyclovir/Hydrocortisone, Xerese, Idoxuridine, Zovirax Ointment, Herpes Simplex - Prophylaxis, Lipsovir
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