genital herpes
Topical honey application vs. acyclovir for the treatment of recurrent herpes simplex lesions.

Al-Waili NS.

Department of Nephrology and Urology, and Alternative Medicine, Dubai Specialized Medical Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. noori786 yahoo.com

BACKGROUND: The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of the topical application of honey on recurrent attacks of herpes lesions, labial and genital, as compared to acyclovir cream. MATERIAL/METHODS: Sixteen adult patients with a history of recurrent attacks of herpetic lesions, 8 labial and 8 genital, were treated by topical application of honey for one attack and acyclovir cream for another attack. RESULTS: For labial herpes, the mean duration of attacks and pain, occurrence of crusting, and mean healing time with honey treatment were 35%, 39%, 28% and 43% better, respectively, than with acyclovir treatment. For genital herpes, the mean duration of attacks and pain, occurrence of crusting, and mean healing time with honey treatment were 53%, 50%, 49% and 59% better, respectively, than with acyclovir. Two cases of labial herpes and one case of genital herpes remitted completely with the use of honey. The lesions crusted in 3 patients with labial herpes and in 4 patients with genital herpes. With acyclovir treatment, none of the attacks remitted, and all the lesions, labial and genital, developed crust. No side effects were observed with repeated applications of honey, whereas 3 patients developed local itching with acyclovir. CONCLUSIONS: Topical honey application is safe and effective in the management of the signs and symptoms of recurrent lesions from labial and genital herpes.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15278008&dopt=Abstract genital herpes



genital herpes
[Features of interferon and cytokine production in genital herpes]

[Article in Russian]

Mezentseva MV, Shcherbenko VE, Narovlianskii AN, Farfarovskii MS, Pavlov VI, Pavlova SV, Ershov FI.

The impaired production of INFs and of other cytokines at different stages of their synthesis in patients with genital herpes before and after treatment were shown to reflect the specificity of the immune response in the mentioned pathology. An activation of the cellular and humoral immunity according to the Th1 and Th2 types was observed in patients with genital herpes. The stimulated activity of Th1, B-lymphocytes and of natural killers (NK) as well as suppression of Th2 occurred in the initial treatment stage by acyclovir (10 days), which brought about a positive clinical effect in a majority of cases. A correlation between the IFN status and cytokine profile, on the one hand, and an effect of therapy in genital herpes, on the other hand, was demonstrated. Finally, the monitoring of the IFN and cytokine status in each patient is needed for choosing a treatment scheme and for prognosticating a therapy efficiency.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14708229&dopt=Abstract genital herpes



genital herpes
Study of knowledge of genital herpes infection and attitudes to testing for genital herpes among antenatal clinic attendees.

Edmiston N, O'Sullivan M, Charters D, Chuah J, Pallis L.

Gold Coast Sexual Health Clinic, Miami, Queensland, Australia. Natalie_Edmiston health.qld.gov.au

A descriptive survey of knowledge of genital herpes and attitudes to testing was conducted among antenatal clinic attendees at the Gold Coast Hospital, Australia. The study subjects showed a good knowledge of genital herpes, to a level that appears sufficient for an informed choice regarding herpes serology testing to be made. A preference for testing for genital herpes was suggested. Although serological testing is not routinely required, the results of the study indicate that discussion of genital herpes should be considered in the antenatal clinic setting.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14717310&dopt=Abstract genital herpes



genital herpes
Atypical genital herpes: report of five cases.

Uuskula A, Raukas E.

Department of Dermatology, University of Tartu, Estonia. annskla ut.ee

Manifestations of human genital herpes virus (HSV) infection are not limited to the typical cluster of genital lesions. Here we present 5 case histories suggestive to clinically atypical genital herpes (HSV detected with the polymerase chain reaction) collected in 2001 from a private outpatient clinic specializing in dermatological and venereal diseases. The clinical presentations included mucopurulent cervicitis, haemorrhagic cystitis, recurrent urethritis, and lower back pain.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15000557&dopt=Abstract genital herpes



genital herpes
[Polymorphism of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 DNA from laboratory strains and clinical material from patient with genital herpes]

[Article in Russian]

Kruglova AI, Nikolaeva NP, Niukhalova IuV, Barinskii IF, Alimbarova LM, Demkin VV.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), that can amplify a fragment of the DNA-polymerase gene of 4 herpes viruses, i.e. herpes simplex viruses, type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex viruses, type 2 (HSV-2), Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus, was made use of to study the genetic polymorphism of HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains. The obtained amplicons were analyzed by the method of restriction-size fragments' polymorphism (RSFP) with restrictases Rsal, Taql and Hinfl. Four HSV-1 strains had an identical restriction profile. Strain G (HSV-2) also displayed the expected restriction profiles, however, contradictory results were obtained for strain BH (HSV-2): the restriction profiles with restrictases Hinfl and Rsal corresponded to HSV-2, and the restriction profile with Taql corresponded to HSV-1. The sequencing of appropriate fragments of strains G and BH revealed a dot-type mutation localized in Taql restriction site. The thus worked out PCR was used jointly with RSFP in the genotyping of 75 urogenital samples obtained from women with genital herpes who were treated at Moscow patient-care facilities. HSV-1 and HSV-2 were detected in 18 (24%) and 57 (76%) of samples, respectively. No changes were registered in the restriction profile for HSV-2 among the investigated samples and all of them had the restriction profile similar to that of strain G. The conclusion is that genital herpes associated with HSV-2 is genetically stable within its Moscow population.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15017849&dopt=Abstract genital herpes



genital herpes
[An epidemiological model of genital herpes for assessment of potential impact of therapy and prophylaxis: application to France]

[Article in French]

Boelle PY, Fagnani F, Valleron AJ, Detournay B, El Hasnaoui A, Halioua B, Nicolas JC.

INSERM U444, Hopital Rothschild.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to quantify the development of the number of cases of genital herpes and to assess the impact of different treatment strategies in France. METHOD: A model for the natural history of herpes simplex virus genital infection is presented and applied to the French population. The model encompasses infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2), first episodes, recurrences, viral shedding and the effect of treatment on infected individuals. RESULTS: In the Year 2000, 270,000 individuals would have suffered from genital herpes in France. A total annual cumulated number of 1.5 million episodes of recurrence and 23 million days of viral shedding were estimated. Seventy percent of viral shedding occurred in sub-clinical seropositive individuals. The expected number of attributable neonatal deaths remained very low. Systematic treatment of clinical episodes might reduce the number of days with lesions (- 27 p. 100), and is also effective on viral shedding (symptomatic: - 50 p. 100). Continuous treatment of the most severe patients (>or=6 recurrences per Year) might reduce viral shedding slightly more (- 85 p. 100). Antiviral treatment might have a major impact on the quality of life of these patients but would only slightly curb the number of new infections. DISCUSSION: This model tries to integrate the various data currently available at international level on the epidemiology of genital herpes. However, many aspects are still not well documented and remain uncertain. It is therefore necessary to define various assumptions in order to simulate the natural history of the disease in a population. The lack of French data especially on the HSV-1 and HSV-2 seroprevalence profiles reinforces these uncertainties. Our results should hence be considered as exploratory. However, this modeling approach is the only possible way to integrate the multiple parameters describing the pathology and predicting of the public health impact of different interventions. This model is an open tool which may be modified when new data become available.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15041839&dopt=Abstract genital herpes



genital herpes
Herpes simplex virus type 1 is the prevailing cause of genital herpes in the Tel Aviv area, Israel.

Samra Z, Scherf E, Dan M.

Department of Microbiology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel.

BACKGROUND AND GOAL: The changing epidemiology of genital herpes with the increasing importance of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 prompted a study on the relative prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 among cases of genital herpes in the Tel Aviv area, Israel. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective laboratory-based study of positive genital and nongenital herpes cultures performed at the Beilinson Medical Center between 1993 and 2002. Data regarding the number of isolates of each type and the age and sex of patients with genital lesions were retrieved from the database. Cultures were performed using Vero cells, and positive results were confirmed and typed by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: A total of 285 positive genital cultures and 659 positive nongenital cultures were recorded. HSV-1 was identified in 189 (66.3%) of the positive genital specimens and in 656 (99.55%) of the nongenital specimens. HSV-1 was isolated in 174 of 262 (66.4%) female subjects and 15 of 23 (65.2%) male subjects. The proportion of HSV-1 genital isolates was 72.7% in patients 15 to 24 years of age, 62% in those 25 to 44 years, and 46% in those aged 45 years or older. Overall, the annual isolation rate of genital HSV-1 has not changed markedly over the years. CONCLUSION: Herpes simplex virus type 1 has clearly been the predominant HSV type isolated from genital specimens in the Tel Aviv area over the last decade.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14520180&dopt=Abstract genital herpes