Patients with recurrent genital herpes attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic were studied and transmission of the infection was elucidated by evaluating serostatus in their partners. Of 84 patients attending for recurrent genital herpes, 94% had a herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection and only 6% (5 patients) a type 1 infection. The mean age of the patients was 36 years and th...

BACKGROUND Results of several studies suggest that psychological stress and negative mood can trigger genital herpes recurrences, but results are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE To determine whether short-term or persistent psychological stress or specific negative moods are predictive of genital herpes recurrences in women. METHODS A prospective cohort study followed up participants for 6 months u...

BACKGROUND First episode genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections can be classified into three groups, primary genital herpes (no previous exposure to HSV), non-primary first episode (IgG antibody to HSV of the non-presenting type), and first episode with pre-existing IgG HSV antibodies. The use of IgM to classify first episode genital herpes has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE To evaluate...

OBJECTIVES To determine which sexual health clinic clients were tested for herpes simplex virus (HSV) type specific antibodies and whether this test was useful for patient management. METHODS Demographic, sexual and reproductive history, reasons for performing type specific serology, results, and benefits were derived from patient records from Parramatta Sexual Health Clinic for all patients ...

OBJECTIVE To determine if suppressive acyclovir near term decreased the frequency of clinical recurrences at delivery in women with recurrent genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. METHODS We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial in 234 women with recurrent genital herpes. Women with genital infection of any frequency were enrolled. Patients received either suppressiv...

Genital herpes infections are extremely common worldwide and ~22% of pregnant women are infected with herpes simplex virus. Eighty percent of those affected with genital herpes are unaware of being infected. The most devastating consequence of maternal genital herpes is neonatal herpes disease. Fortunately, neonatal herpes simplex infections are uncommon but due to the morbidity and mortality a...

What is genital herpes? Genital herpes (HER-pees) is a disease caused by a virus called herpes simplex. It may cause painful blisters on the thighs, buttocks, or genitals. The blisters break open and turn into sores. The virus can also cause fever blisters or cold sores around the mouth. Once you get herpes, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. When sores form, it is called a...

Genital infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV -2) is increasingly common worldwide. The aims of this thesis were to investigate the epidemiology and natural history of genital herpes among GUM attendees with symptomatic genital herpes, and among HIV-l infected individuals. In our study of GUM attendees in the UK, we demonstrated HSV -1 to account for 9% of first episodes of genital he...

OBJECTIVES To summarise the current status of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine development and provide a discussion of the potential benefits and limitations of genital herpes vaccines. METHODS Literature review. RESULTS Genital herpes simplex virus infection has a complex pathogenesis that has contributed to it becoming a serious worldwide problem. In an attempt to control the pr...

OBJECTIVES Understanding the regional epidemiology of genital Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infections is important for clinical and public health practice, due to the increasing availability of type-specific serologic testing in Canada and the contribution of genital HSV-2 infection to ongoing HIV transmission. We used centralized laboratory data to describe trends in viral identifications of gen...