OBJECTIVE To continue evaluation of the use of acyclovir suppression in late pregnancy after first episode genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, using an open-label study design. METHODS Ninety-six women diagnosed with genital herpes for the first time in the index pregnancy were prescribed suppressive acyclovir 400 mg orally three times daily from 36 weeks until delivery in an open-l...

Imiquimod, an immunomodulator with no direct in vitro antiviral activity, has in vivo anti-herpesvirus activity by inducing interferon and enhancing other only partially defined immune responses. Imiquimod treatment of primary genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in guinea pigs reduces the level of genital disease by 90%. We further investigated its utility as suppressive therapy of rec...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether adverse psychological consequences and impaired sexual and interpersonal functioning are present in individuals suffering from recurrent genital herpes simplex infection (HSV). DESIGN A questionnaire-based study completed by subjects defined as having more than one episode of HSV infection. SUBJECTS Completed questionnaires were returned from 90 subjects; 40...

We report the clinical case of a genital outbreak with both Herpes Simplex Type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes Simplex Type 2 (HSV-2) during pregnancy. Herpes was presumptively identified by clinical presentation of lesion and Tzanck smear while serotypes were identified by cell culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This case report highlights the need for increased surveillance of both serotypes ...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES A large proportion of individuals with serologic evidence of infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) are asymptomatic. HSV-2 is the main cause of genital herpes infections. The acquisition of genital herpes during pregnancy has been associated with spontaneous abortion, premature labour and congenital and neonatal herpes. The present study was undertaken to de...

Prevention of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections is desirable from both a public health standpoint and the patient's perspective. A key factor in the spread of genital herpes infections is the high proportion of undiagnosed infections. Persons with subclinical or unrecognized infections are best diagnosed by accurate, type-specific antibody tests. Unfortunately, these tests are only ...

A replication-defective mutant of herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) was engineered by replacing the ICP8 gene of HSV-2 strain 186 with an ICP8-lacZ fusion gene from the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) HD-2 mutant strain. The resulting virus, HSV-2 5BlacZ, is defective for growth in Vero cells but is capable of growth in a cell line that expresses HSV-1 ICP8. In Vero cells, the mutant virus is defec...

In developed countries, genital herpes is, together with papillomavirus infections, among the most common sexually transmitted diseases. HSV is a dormant virus causing lifelong infection and recurring with or without clinical symptoms. Exposure to lesions and to asymptomatic viral shedding result in transmission. Thus, in most cases, finding the exact path of viral transmission is impossible. T...