STD Quarterly: Review the facts about genital herpes
The HSV virus causes genital herpes. There are two types of herpes simplex; herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2). The majority of oral herpes cases are caused by HSV-1, and the majority of genital herpes cases are caused by HSV-2; however, type 1 and type 2 can occur in the genitals, oral area, or both.
Herpes is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact. Transmission occurs when a contagious area comes into contact with a mucous membrane, primarily the mouth and genitals. The virus can be transmitted when there are no symptoms present; there are several days throughout the year (referred to as asymptomatic reactivation, asymptomatic shedding, or subclinical shedding) when a person can be contagious without having a symptom. Symptoms of genital herpes may include a cluster of blisters, bumps, or rashes in the genital area or on the thighs or buttocks.
There is no cure for the virus. There are three medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of herpes: acyclovir (Zovirax) and valacyclovir (Valtrex), both from GlaxoSmithKline in Research Triangle Park, NC, and famciclovir (Famvir) from Novartis Pharmaceuticals in East Hanover, NJ.
An experimental immunity-enhancing drug administered as a topical gel may be effective in substantially delaying onset of recurrent genital herpes lesions.1 The drug, resiquimod, is one of a family of immune response-modifying drugs in development by St. Paul, MN-based 3M Pharmaceuticals. Phase 3 clinical trials of the drug, involving about 2,000 patients with recurrent genital herpes infection, are now under way in the United States and Europe; results are expected in 2004.
Reference
- Stephenson J. New therapy promising for genital herpes. JAMA 2001; 285:2,182-2,183.
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