herpes
Quality of life and use of health care among people with genital herpes in France.

Taboulet F, Halioua B, Malkin JE.

Pharmaceutical Law and Economics, Universite Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, France.

In order to assess psychological morbidity in France related to genital herpes infection, we carried out a transversal study comparing infected patients with a control group. A total of 236 patients with genital herpes were first identified by means of a postal survey, then matched against a witness group of 236 noninfected persons. Detailed questionnaires were sent out to each person in the 2 groups. A total of 150 herpes patients and 200 non-infected persons answered the questionnaire, which enabled us to measure the incidence of the disease by means of 2 indicators: a herpes-specific scale and the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. Emotional trauma due to genital herpes was reported amongst 23% of the participants. Of the participants, 57% indicated that herpes interfered with their sexual relationships; 50% felt it difficult to live with genital herpes; and 37% felt that herpes ruins their lives. An analysis assessing health-related quality of life indicated significant differences between the scores of the 2 groups and showed that quality of life is lower amongst herpes patients. Respondents with genital herpes required more frequent consultations with GPs (81% vs. 73%), and significantly more frequent consultations with specialists (59% vs. 45%). Our study confirms that substantial psychological morbidity exists in patients with genital herpes.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10494718&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
College students' attitudes regarding vaccination to prevent genital herpes.

Rosenthal SL, Lewis LM, Succop PA, Bernstein DI, Stanberry LR.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio, USA.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vaccines represent an important strategy for the control of infectious diseases but are only effective if accepted by the public. Unique attitudinal issues may affect usage of vaccines to control sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The object of this study was to examine among college students factors that may influence acceptance of a vaccine against genital herpes. GOALS: To examine attitudes regarding acceptance of vaccination for genital herpes by college students using aspects of health behavior theories. STUDY DESIGN: Subjects were recruited from an undergraduate psychology class to complete a questionnaire regarding attitudes and beliefs about receiving a potential genital herpes vaccine. RESULTS: Of the 518 subjects, 100 would not get the vaccine, 207 would, and 211 were unsure. In the final models, factors that influenced acceptance were low cost and an opinion that the vaccine should be recommended for everyone. Those who were unsure were more likely to be influenced by an opinion that the vaccine would be unsuccessful. While not remaining in the final models, those who believed they were at low risk of acquiring genital herpes were unlikely to accept a genital herpes vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that most college students would not reject vaccination, a priori, against genital herpes. Vaccine acceptance may be maximized if vaccine cost is low, the public is educated regarding risk of acquiring genital herpes, and public health policy encourages universal vaccination.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10494934&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Environmental chemical exposures and risk of herpes zoster.

Arndt V, Vine MF, Weigle K.

Department of Epidemiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.

This study investigated whether residence in Aberdeen, North Carolina, the location of the Aberdeen pesticides dumps site (a national priority list Superfund site containing organochlorine pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and metals), is associated with immune suppression as indicated by a higher incidence of herpes zoster and recent occurrences of other common infectious diseases. Study participants included 1,642 residents, 18-64 years of age, who responded to a telephone survey concerning potential occupational and recreational exposures to pesticides and other chemicals, lifetime history of herpes zoster (shingles), and the recent occurrence of other common infectious diseases. Stratified and logistic regression analyses were used to compare the cumulative incidence of herpes zoster among Aberdeen residents and residents of nearby communities. There was little evidence of an overall increased risk of herpes zoster among Aberdeen residents during the period 1951-1994 [relative risk (RR), 1.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8-2.1]. However, an elevated risk of herpes zoster was noted consistently among Aberdeen residents of younger ages as compared to residents of the nearby communities. The RR was 2.0 (CI, 1.0-4.0) among those 18-40 years of age and was not affected by controlling for potential confounders. The RR of herpes zoster was also consistently elevated in all age groups for the period before 1985. No differences were noted between residents of Aberdeen and those of the nearby communities with respect to the recent occurrence of other common infectious diseases. These results support the plausibility of an association between exposure to the Aberdeen pesticides dumps site and immune suppression and the potential use of herpes zoster as a marker of immune suppression in studies of environmental chemical exposures.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10504152&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Allele replacement: an application that permits rapid manipulation of herpes simplex virus type 1 genomes.

Horsburgh BC, Hubinette MM, Qiang D, MacDonald ML, Tufaro F.

NeuroVir Inc, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a new platform for gene therapy. We cloned the human herpes virus HSV-1 strain F genome into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and adapted chromosomal gene replacement technology to manipulate the viral genome. This technology exploits the power of bacterial genetics and permits generation of recombinant viruses in as few as 7 days. We utilized this technology to delete the viral packaging/cleavage (pac) sites from HSV-BAC. HSV-BAC DNA is stable in bacteria and the pac-deleted HSV-BAC (p45-25) is able to package amplicon plasmid DNA as efficiently as a comparable pac-deleted HSV cosmid set when transfected into mammalian cells. Moreover, the utility of bacterial gene replacement is not limited to HSV, since most herpes viruses can be cloned as BACs. Thus, this technology will greatly facilitate genetic manipulation of all herpes viruses for their use as research tools or as vectors in gene therapy.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10505118&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Herpes lymphadenitis in association with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Higgins JP, Warnke RA.

Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections range in severity from common cutaneous outbreaks to life-threatening central nervous system and deep organ involvement. HSV lymphadenitis is extremely rare but occurs both as a component of widely disseminated disease and as a localized, mild illness. METHODS: Five patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) underwent lymph node biopsy and were found to have histologic and immunophenotypic evidence of HSV infection in association with CLL. RESULTS: The patients were 3 males and 2 females ranging in age from 50 to 86 years. Only 1 patient had clinical evidence of cutaneous herpes at any time; in that patient, herpes lymphadenitis preceded the cutaneous herpes by 3 years. Four patients received no therapy for herpes at any time, whereas one was treated with intravenous and oral acyclovir. One patient died of CLL approximately 20 months after herpes lymphadenitis was diagnosed. The remaining four patients are alive with CLL. No patient had a fulminant clinical course related to HSV or developed disseminated infection. CONCLUSIONS: Herpes lymphadenitis may not have a fulminant course even in immunosuppressed CLL patients, even if they receive no antiviral therapy. Copyright 1999 American Cancer Society.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10506706&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Production of a falcon herpes virus vaccine.

Wernery U, Wernery R, Kinne J.

Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ten common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) were used for this falcon herpes vaccine experiment. Four kestrels were subcutaneously given 1 ml of an attenuated falcon herpes virus that had originally been isolated from the liver of an American prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus). This virus was then passaged 100 times on chicken embryo fibroblast cells (CEF-cells). Another 4 kestrels were given subcutaneously an inactivated falcon herpes virus vaccine derived from the same American field strain. This vaccine was concentrated, inactivated by heat and betapropiolactone and emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvans. Two further kestrels served as controls and were not vaccinated. Twenty-one days after vaccination, all 10 kestrels were challenged with passage 3 of the American falcon herpes virus. The 2 control kestrels died 6 days after challenge and 3 of those given the inactivated herpes vaccine died 9 days after challenge, with typical lesions of herpes virus inclusion body hepatitis. Before the vaccination experiment, all 10 kestrels were free of serum neutralising antibodies to the falcon herpes virus. Twenty-one days after vaccination, all 4 kestrels vaccinated with the attenuated vaccine, and one vaccinated with the killed vaccine, had seroconverted, having shown no symptoms to the challenge with a low passage virulent American herpes virus strain. Following the challenge their antibody titres to falcon herpes virus increased. No herpes virus was isolated from any of the cloacal swabs taken during this experiment, indicating that there is no danger for any other birds from the attenuated herpes virus vaccine. This experiment clearly shows that an attenuated falcon herpes virus vaccine can protect kestrels from fatal inclusion body hepatitis.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10507183&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Persistent infection of a lymphoma cell line by herpes simplex virus.

Kao YS, Sundin DR, Gebhardt BM.

Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. ykao lsumc.edu

The peripheral blood cells from a patient with a B-cell lymphoma were established in long-term tissue culture. Two years after establishment of the cells in culture they were infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 and the productivity and duration of viral persistence investigated. One week after infection the lymphoblastoid cells were productively infected and have remained so for a period of over 3 years. Expression of a viral glycoprotein antigen was evaluated by using a fluorescein-labeled monoclonal anti-herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody and revealed a spectrum of staining reactions grading from a lightly stippled to very intense pattern. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the infected cells revealed the presence of the herpes simplex virus type 2 DNA polymerase gene in the infected cells that was absent from the uninfected lymphoblastoid cells. These results taken together with the long-term growth characteristics of both the infected and uninfected lymphoblastoid cells suggest that this cell line may be a good model system for studying viral infection, viral replication, viral latency, and clinical application for the isolation of human herpes virus. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10509003&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine



herpes
Baseline IgG antibody titers to Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus and the risk for cardiovascular disease in women.

Ridker PM, Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Kundsin R, Shih J.

Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.

BACKGROUND: Results of cross-sectional and retrospective studies have suggested that chronic infection may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, prospective data evaluating the relation between baseline antibody titers against various plausible agents and risk for cardiovascular disease are sparse, particularly among women. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether previous exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, herpes simplex virus, or cytomegalovirus is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. DESIGN: Prospective, nested, case-control study. SETTING: Women's Health Study. PARTICIPANTS: Apparently healthy postmenopausal women. MEASUREMENTS: IgG antibody titers against C. pneumoniae, H. pylori, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus were measured in baseline blood samples obtained from 122 study participants who subsequently reported a first cardiovascular event (case-patients) and 244 participants matched for age and smoking status who did not report a cardiovascular event (controls) during 3 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Little evidence was found of an association between risk for cardiovascular events and baseline IgG seropositivity for antibodies against C. pneumoniae (rate ratio, 1.1 [95% CI, 0.7 to 1.8]), H. pylori (rate ratio, 0.90 [CI, 0.6 to 1.4]), herpes simplex virus (rate ratio, 1.2 [CI, 0.6 to 2.1]), and cytomegalovirus (rate ratio, 0.9 [CI, 0.6 to 1.5]). In addition, there was little evidence of an association between a participant's total number of infections and subsequent cardiovascular risk (P > 0.2). CONCLUSION: In apparently healthy postmenopausal women, little evidence was found that previous infection, as measured by IgG antibody titers to C. pneumoniae, H. pylori, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus, is associated with subsequent risk for cardiovascular disease.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10523217&dopt=Abstract herpes medicine