MAY   1999   The Herpes News Archive

 31- Herpes Mailing Lists - Several Herpes lists are now available on the internethttp://www.onelist.com/searchlist.cgi?searchval=hsvalso http://www.onelist.com/searchlist.cgi?searchval=herpes

31 - The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the appeal of a Maine dentist successfully sued after he refused to treat in hisoffice a woman infected with the virus that causes AIDS. (Applies as well to Herpes)http://www.usatoday.com/news/court/nsco1032.htm

31 - Phillipine News: Doctors urged to report Herpes Caseshttp://www.inquirer.net/issues/mar99/mar27/features/fea_5.htm

28 - Adam Yahoo - get your facts straight (mail campaign to correct herpes error)http://www.racoon.com/dcforum/GeneralNew/17.html

28 - Viragen, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRGN - news) receives Japanese Patent Office favorable decision on  topical composition containing human leukocyte interferon  effective for the treatment herpes simplexhttp://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/990527/fl_viragen_1.html

28 -  Physicians should tell teenage girls to just say no to premarital sex.http://www.medscape.com/IMNG/PediatricNews/1999/v33.n05/pn3305.28.01.html

28 - 1999 Draft USPHS/IDSA Guidelines for the Prevention of Herpes  in Persons Infected with HIVhttp://www.medscape.com/other/guidelines/opinfect/4612.17.html

28 - Simply Essential Herbal products (Only company to use business news wires to promote its herpes products)http://www.essential-nz.com/index.html also http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/990527/simply_ess_1.html

28 - Redox Pharmaceutical Corporation has been awarded a Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) Grant for continued research on the efficacy of Redox's agent, CTC-96 (Doxovir(TM)), as a prophylactic topical  for genital herpes. Previously, Redox received two Phase I SBIR grants.

28 - SCIENCE-WEEK Focus Report on HSV (log of its herpes postings)http://www.scienceweek.com/swfr018.htm

25 - Pub Med  Statistics:   Sera were analyzed for 96 african american college women with a mean age of 21 years. Of the 96 women, 29 (30%) were HSV-2 seropositive.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10333670&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

25 - Female sexual problems II: sexual pain and sexual fearsGenital herpes is a major cause of superficial dyspareunia (painful intercourse)http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/318/7176/110 (register to read)

25 - The Internet - World's First Herpes Curehttp://www.racoon.com/dcforum/GeneralNew/2.html

24 - Failed VaccineEnd of last week I was blindsided, by an new abstract on the old failed Chiron vaccine, indicating it was successful, sorry

24 - Herpes Companies: Nexmed Inc., latest SIC filingthe Viratrol(R) device, a proprietary therapeutic medical device for the treatment of herpes simplex diseases which does not require the use of any drugs. The Company believes that the electrical current, which is topically delivered by the patented device to an infected site, may block lesions from forming or may significantly shorten healing time once lesions develop. The Company has been in contact with the FDA regarding the requirements for initiating clinical studieshttp://www.nexmed.com/

24 - Herpes Companies: Electropharmacology Inc. , latest SIC filingImproving the delivery of a drug to diseased tissues can reduce side effects and/or allow patients to take lower doses of toxic drugs. Examples include delivering topical drugs for .... herpes..... We use the principle of applying mild electric currents ("Iontophoresis") to improve the delivery of topical drugs through the skin and pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic signals ("PREMS") broadcast to increase blood flow in superficial soft tissues and thus improve the delivery of drugs carried in bloodstream.http://www.ephi.com/

24 - Herpes InsuranceWe all have secrets in our medical records. They should remain that way.http://www.amcity.com/baltimore/stories/1999/05/24/focus4.html?h=herpes

24 - STD Prevention Efforts Make Uneven Progress"We have begun to address the issue of these diseases," Dr. Wasserheit said at a conference on prevention of sexually transmitted diseases sponsored by the CDC. In spite of these gains, "we are clearly failing overall in other areas," she said. New estimates indicate that there are 15 million new STD cases each year in the United States , and that reported rates of STDs far exceed rates in other industrialized countries.http://www.medscape.com/IMNG/PediatricNews/1999/v33.n02/pn3302.13.01.html (free register, to read)

24 - Primary Herpes Labialis Acquired during Scuba Diving Coursehttp://www.istm.org/jtm/sep97.html#primary21- ALERT - This page has length restrictions. This month's  vaccine articles have been moved to:The Herpes News - Vaccines:  http://www.homestead.com/HerpesNews/HerpesVaccines.html21 - Moving HerpesThis site provides an animated schematic of how the herpes virus works - Uniquely informativehttp://www-ermm.cbcu.cam.ac.uk/99000381h.htm

21- Man's best friend has herpes, toohttp://users.neca.com/szeder/vhr2.html

21 - A highly motivated, self-selected group of 1,535 men and 1,607 women of middle-to-high socioeconomic class who had recurring genital herpes were surveyed in an assessment of the historical characteristics of these subjects and their disease. All subjects lived in the continental United States and were members of the national herpes organization, HELP, sponsored by the American Social Health Association. Subjects were predominantly well-educated white persons (mean educational level, 15.2 years) earning > $20,000 per year. The mean ages of acquisition of genital herpes were 26.9 years for women and 30.8 years for men. The mean durations of infection were 3.9 years for women and 5.1 years for men. Women usually acquired genital herpes between the ages of 20 and 29 years, whereas substantial numbers of men experienced their initial episodes of infection when they were in their thirties. The population studied was predominantly heterosexual.Many of the subjects, especially the men, had experienced other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonococcal or nongonococcal urethritis. Over two-thirds of the subjects experienced more than five relapses every year, and the percentage of subjects with more than five recurrences yearly did not decrease with time.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10328018&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b (maybe an old reference)

21 - ASHA's web site now searchableUnfortunately, ASHA is still stuck on a subscription model for most of their Herpes articleshttp://www.ashastd.org

20 - British Doctors respond to a survey on how they treat herpesPrimary/first clinical episodeIt was indicated that 94% of units used viral culture to diagnose primary herpes, 6% used antigen detection, 81% clinical appearance and 6% type specific serology. 75% of units indicated that they had virus typing available. Aciclovir was the most popular treatment option with all units indicating that they used it, 13% used Valaciclovir, 88% used salt water bathing, 81% recommended analgesia or referred patients to a health adviser, 13% prescribed antibiotics and all units gave written information to patients.Partner notification was undertaken for 69% of patients, with all patients being followed up. This was for further information and screening for other STI's in all patients, according to recurrence and other patient needs in 63%, outcome of contact tracing in 38% and for results only in 31%.Recurrent HerpesTesting for recurrent herpes was as follows: 100% used viral culture some or all the time, 12% used antigen detection some or all the time, 94% used clinical appearance and 19% used type specific serology some or all the time. The most common treatment modality used was Aciclovir at 88%, salt water bathing at 69%, analgesia at 38%, Valaciclovir at 31%, Aciclovir cream at 25% and Famciclovir at 13%.SuppressionThe criteria for prescribing suppressive treatment for herpes were as follows: confirmed by culture 94%, >6 attacks per year 94%, psychological morbidity 88% and severe attacks/duration 7-10 days 75%. The regimens offered were Aciclovir 100%, mostly 200mg -400mg bd for between 3 and 12 months, Valaciclovir 19% and Famcilcovir, 0%.Discussions included the agreement of forward treatment plan and emphasis on compliance and need for interval assessment in 100% of units, reasons for treatment in 94% of cases and asking patients to report the incidence of breakthrough attacks in 88% of cases. 75% of responders refer their patient to a health adviser. This lower number may be due to the fact that most patients would have already seen a health adviser previously.http://www.nthivgumaudit.demon.co.uk/int/min0498.htm

20 - In the pre-HIV days, when sexually transmitted diseases were more treatable,  pregnancy was the main concern when it came to unprotected sex.  "Today, sex is riskier. Trust becomes the  key issue.http://www.canoe.com:80/CNEWSLife9905/19_sex2.html

20 - Cantab making money - Immunological analysis of the three highest doses in the Phase I clinical trial of DISC HSV, Cantab's novel vaccine candidate for  genital herpes, is nearly complete.  It is expected that detailed results will be presented at a major scientific conference later in  the year.  Glaxo Wellcome, Cantab's development partner, is due to  commence a 400 patient multi-centre, double blind, placebo controlled  Phase II trial in the second half of 1999.http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/990520/cantab_pha_1.html

19 - British Herpes Dating Site Openshttp://WWW.hdate.co.uk/19 - Antopia to start new Herpes Community Web Sitehttp://www.herpes.org/index3.htm

18 - Severe Facial Herpes Simplex Infection, a case studyhttp://www.nejm.org/content/1999/0340/0016/1253.asp

18 - 25-27 June 1999: IHMF/ASHA Patient Support Initiative WorkshopThis workshop, organized under the auspices of the IHMF and the American Social Health Association, aims to encourage the set up of  regionally appropriate patient support activities, such as help groups, telephone information lines, Internet websites and newsletters. The Workshop will bring together those who wish to set up networks in their own country with those who have experience and can offer practical advice. The Workshop will take an informal, interactive format where the opinions of people with herpes, physicians and health  professionals alike will be integral to its success. Translators will be arranged as necessary.  The organizers of this workshop are searching for people worldwide who are motivated to establish patient support activities in their own countries and who would be willing to participate in the Workshop.  If you feel you could contribute, or if you would like more information, please e-mail the IHMF Secretariat: c/o Tina Bristo.http://www.ihmf.org/general/activities.asp

18 - France. The antiviral agent, aciclovir, is now available in pharmacies without prescription for the treatment of labial herpes simplex (cold sores)  (cream 5%).http://www.who.int/dmp/newsjan98.htm

17 - Herpes Neighbors: APPLETON, Wis. (AP) -- A man paroled from federal prison after a fraud conviction is accused of cheating a business  partner out of almost $30, 000 with plans to sell medicine for a sexually transmitted disease. Police quote Jeffrey B. Marvin as saying he spent about $27, 200 from a partnership' s bank account in two months a year ago on drugs, gambling and prostitution.   He also said he took in as much as $25, 000 in a week through cash, money orders and cashiers checks for treatment of genital herpes.http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=75760899

17 - Herpes Neighbors: There are two phone lines at Erika Foster's house. Dad picks up  one, dials the other. Erika answers.  "Hey," Dad says, "can I get pregnant during my period?"  This is a pop quiz and Erika Foster knows the answer. And    surprise, she didn't get it from Dad. Or Mom. In fact, her parents  haven't really had the Big Talk with her. But a couple of times a  week, Erika sits in a little 12-by-8-foot room and, for hours, takes  anonymous phone calls from teen-agers who need answers.  She can tell you about abstinence and the 12 other forms of birth  control out there. She can tell you which bus route to take to which  clinic to take the test you need if you want to be sure you don't  have herpes.http://www.ocregister.com/living/hotln016w.shtml

17 - CBS Scare Tactics: Toothbrushes that share common space can contaminate each other by being so close. Airborne bacteria make it easy to spread things like the common cold, flu, strep throat, herpes, and possibly even hepatitis. (Airborne Herpes? Come, on CBS)http://www.cbs.com/prd1/now/template.display?p_story=153175&p_who=network

16 - Mouse Sex, the ultimate Herpes prevention techniqueAn estimated 4.6 million daily Internet users  may end up having more sex with a mouse than a person, according to a study published in a leading psychology journal.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/1999/04/01/NEWS962.dtl

16 - Mouse MedAlert: Nonoxynol-9 enhances rectal infection by herpes simplex virus in mice.At a dose of virus that resulted in only 5% infection of control (PBS treated) mice, 90 to 100% of the animals which had been pretreated rectally with 2% N9, or the OTC vaginal spermicides Gynol II, or K-Y PLUS became infected.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=9673842&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

16 - Reprint: The Wall Street Journal and HerpesPerhaps the most troublesome aspect of the herpes epidemic among teenagers is the fact that policy makers, educators and public health officials didn't do more to stop it. Faced with the double whammy of AIDS and teenage pregnancy, health authorities failed to attack herpes aggressively with public funding and education.  While the CDC spends more than $100 million on efforts to prevent and treat syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, herpes gets next to nothing.http://www.aegis.com/news/wsj/1997/wj971203.html

15 - STI - Britain's First Sexual Health Information Service" Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding, this web site has been closed." No Commenthttp://www.sti.healthcare.org.uk/

15 - Get it while you're youngThis is a reply to an article which unfortunately is not available on the web...indeed there has  been a steady increase in genital herpes simplex in the US. However, the pattern has not been repeated in Britain.  New cases recorded by genitourinary clinics in Britain have remained static for around three years at around 15 000  per annum and as far as we know, new cases seen at GPs' surgeries remain at about 2·4 patients per GP per year,  making up a total of around 90 000. Interestingly, an  increasing proportion of genital infection is caused by type 1 virus, traditionally associated with facial symptoms. The reason for the difference between the American and  British experience is that the acquisition of the type 1 virus  in childhood is higher in Britain than in the US. The antibodies developed prevent later genital infection by type  1 virus and give partial protection against type 2.The moral is clear. As with most infections, herpes simplex  is best caught when you are young and your immune system is fresh. Symptoms are more likely to be mild or non-existent and you will be less likely to catch another  strain of the virus on another site when you are older.  Signed  Herpes Viruses Association ,  Londonhttp://bse.newscientist.com/ns/990109/letters2.htmlMaybe they can't count? British Teens Have Europe's Worst Sexual Healthhttp://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/wl/story.html?s=v/nm/19990514/wl/health_britain_teenagers_1.html

13 - Herpes NeighborsVeteran Sacramento guard Vernon Maxwell has   been typically up-and-down in the Jazz-Kings playoff series.He once left the court in Portland to punch a Trail Blazer fan. He has been  named in a paternity suit. He has been charged with failure to pay child support.  He has been sued by a woman who claimed he  knowingly gave her herpes.http://www.sltrib.com:80/1999/may/05121999/sports/104892.htm

12- Herpes & Pregnancy  - Collection of articles related to Pregancyhttp://www.homestead.com/HerpesNews/HerpesPregnancy.html

12 - Detroit Teen STD Ad CampaignThe prom can  be the bomb  - without you becoming a teen dad  and mom.   - Use your brain, abstain.http://www.freep.com/news/locway/qprom10.htm

11 - New Homeopathic Herpes Drug : ProgennProgenn is indicated for the relief of pain, itching, tingling, and discomfort of recurring episodes of herpetic eruptionshttp://www.yellowflower.com/

09 1/2  The Web Poll is still screwed up. now discontinued

09 - Herpes Companies: Boston BiomedicaThe Company is also developing new and improved infectious disease tests  This includes emphasis on additional  applications of PCR and other amplification technologies to infectious disease diagnostics including Herpeshttp://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Companies/Scientific/Biology/Biotechnology/Boston_Biomedica__Inc_/

09 -  See the good sides about herpes...When it goes away, you know it'll be backIf you can't see it, you can feel where it is better than any psychicYou don't have to worry about getting it anymoreIt sorts out the good partner from the bad one and eventually will allow you to teach some lesson to the last oneIt is the revenge of the rape's victimNo vampire will suck your bloodYou know than why your partner is getting on your nervesIf you claim you have it, you'll have your own private toilet at workIt'll force you to regular visits to the doctorIt'll help reducing the transmition rate of other VDIt'll help reducing the rate of lethal prostate or ovaries cancer because you'll definitely check when it hurtsIt'll teach you to relaxIt'll teach you to eat healthyIt'll teach you why condoms are so greatIt binds you to more than a billion human beings from all races, cultures, social levels or faithsIt'll make you support medical researchThanks to  alienor@softhome.net

09 -First ever treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder approved in CanadaHerpes does not only have physical symptoms. Another tool in the  medicine chest. ``Social Anxiety Disorder is the third most common psychiatric disorder after depression and alcohol dependencehttp://www.newswire.ca/releases/May1999/06/c1496.html

09 - Med Alert: Pub Med: Herpes virus infections occur frequently following treatment with fludarabinehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10233419&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

09 -Herpes Plants: PubMed: stem bark of Glyptopetalum sclerocarpum Laws.(Celastraceae).SmallFlowering Tree from the Far East) exhibited antiviral activity against HSV1 & 2.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10232073&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

09 PubMed: Changes in prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 antibodies from 1973 to 1993Probably the only place in the world where Herpes is decreasing  The HSV-1 seroprevalence for men and women decreased from 75.3 and 80.6% in 1973 to 54.4 and 59.6%, respectively, in 1993. The HSV-2 seroprevalence also decreased from 10.2 and 9.9% in 1973 to 1.8 and 1.2%, respectively, in 1993. (in rural Japan)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10229273&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

07 - The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an Investigational New Drug (IND)for Phase I human  clinical trials to test the safety and tolerance of Ushercell. A nine-month trial, funded by CICCR, will  begin immediately.  The compound is a ... envisioned  for vaginal use primarily in the prevention of heterosexual transmission of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well as unplanned pregnancies.http://infoseek.go.com/Content?arn=BW1323-19990506&qt=%2Bherpes&sv=IS&lk=noframes&col=NX&kt=A&ak=news1486

06 - Vanity License Plate HERPES available in Californiahttp://www.slate.com/newsquiz/99-05-05/newsquiz.asp

05 - William H. Gates, the software mogul, yesterday pledged $25 million over five years to help develop a vaccine against AIDS, an effort for wh ich President Clinton has set a 2007 deadline, but which has shown  frustratingly slow progress to date. Gee I wish one of those billionaires had herpeshttp://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/124/nation/Gates_pledges_25m_toward_AIDS_vaccine_effort+.shtml

05 - probably the worst list of possible bandnames you will ever see...Hermes With Herpes - plus another 100, listen to the music while scanning the listhttp://members.delphi.com/ajames/index.html

05 - Herpes Simplex Virus More Likely to Affect African American College WomenThe investigators found that the infected young women with HSV  had a previous history of STD with more than one to six episodes or  were engaging in risky sexual behavior with one or more sexual  partners. According to the data, African-American women who  reported only one lifetime sexual partner were four times more  likely to be infected with HSV than whites with one sexual partner.http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0504-128.htm

03 - Honorable Mentions:Reclaiming self-esteem after an STD diagnosishttp://www.healthgate.com/healthy/sexuality/1999/stds_selfesteem/index.shtmlGenital Herpes - nice, friendly overview, I added it to theHerpes Newbies pagehttp://www.nzhealth.co.nz/everybody/docsd_h/genherp.htm

03 - Doctors Don't Ask, Women Don't TellDespite ample evidence of its benefits, doctors and patients often are failing to discuss crucial information aboutsex-related behavior and disease prevention during women's annual gynecological exams.http://www.latimes.com/excite/990503/t000039607.html02 - PubMed: Intravenous Penciclovir for Treatment of Herpes SimplexAs effective as acyclovir in immunocomprised patientshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10223935&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

02 - Fresh Web Poll questionsFrankly, the last poll's responses astounded me. Contrary to what 99.9% of web pages say about toilet seats and herpes, the majority answering the poll seem to think Herpes can be transmitted. There is no substantiated research available on the web on the toilet/herpes connection.http://www.homestead.com/HerpesNews/TheHerpesNewsPoll.html

02 - Columnists: DEAR BETH: Is it possible for either partner to get a disease if a woman performs oral sex on a man? What about a man performing oral sex on a woman? What if both people are virgins? What if only one person is a virgin?http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/03/07/PK3243.DTL