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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Your awesomeness overshadows herpes

What if herpes itself isn’t actually bad? [Gasp] What if it’s just blocking your own awesomeness?

No, this isn’t blowing rainbows, unicorns and puppy dog tails into your eardrums. This is real. This is true. And you know it. You are totally awesome. Own it. It might just be hard to see when your focus is squarely on herpes. But what about focusing on you? What if you are the reason herpes is not a big deal?

If you really, truly realized the depth and breadth of what you have to offer, then herpes simply wouldn’t be an issue. All your awesomeness simply overshadows herpes. I promise you. All you have to do is look …

What you focus on expands. This is true whether you believe it on an energetic/spiritual level (Law of Attraction style) or an in-your-head level. It’s just how our gray matter works. Our brains are wired to go deeper into what we focus on. And the more we focus on something, the greater the resolution gets, the more detail we can pick up. That’s why practicing gratitude has been proven to produce greater amounts of happiness: the more we focus on what we’re grateful for instead of what’s going wrong in our lives, we get into the habit of choosing to see the good that has been around us the whole time. I know I spent many years spinning my wheels focusing on herpes. And it just had me feeling sadder and sadder. And you know what? I realize I was focusing on the sad things. So, what are you focusing on?

The mind microscope. It’s like your brain is an electron microscopes that continually amps up the magnification on your subject of focus. When your super-powerful “mind microscope” focuses only on herpes, then everything else gets blurred, tossed to the side. All the other good things that make you uniquely you seem to disappear from your awareness. If you don’t zoom out and look at the big picture, you might just trick yourself into believing that herpes is all there is. And that’s not a fair assessment of the situation, is it? It’s not looking at your full reality. So if you’re going to use your energy to focus on something, don’t waste your energy focusing on herpes. Focus on yourself. Focus on those parts of you that you know are attractive and worthwhile. What do you have to offer that’s uniquely you?

Let yourself be that person. So do you still believe herpes is a deal breaker? Is herpes a deal breaker for your own happiness or do you believe that herpes is a deal breaker for everyone else? Henry Ford said “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right.” Same logic applies when you consider whether you’re worthy or not: Worthy of love, worthy of happiness, worthy of acceptance. Take this as an opportunity to see yourself as the kind of person who makes herpes a non-issue. (Hint: The good news is that you already are that person; you might just have to dust off a bit of false beliefs before that person is revealed. Has your focus on herpes taken you away from your “you-ness”?)

In short … If you really, truly realized the depth and breadth of what you have to offer, then herpes simply wouldn’t be an issue. All your awesomeness simply overshadows herpes. I promise you. All you have to do is look; Look away from herpes and deeper into yourself. Then herpes will fall away and you’ll be able to focus on your life again.herpes forum


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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Herpes help: One magic phrase that can change your life

Did that get your attention? Are you feeling like you’re bashing your head against a wall trying to figure out how to deal with this virus? Are you constantly beating yourself up about where you find yourself right now (“Why did I just have to have sex with that person …”)? There’s one magic phrase that will help with herpes … Here it is (drum roll, please)…

Where all of the suffering comes from is hanging out in the part that can’t be changed …

“If this (If I have herpes), then what?”

Yep, that’s it. Yep, it’s an amazingly powerful and magical phrase. Elegant in its simplicity. How? Let’s break it down into its two parts …

PART 1: “If this (If I have herpes)…”
Say it. Say it out-loud. “I have herpes.” Accept that you have genital herpes. That is done. No amount of self-flagellation will change that one singular fact. You got it. It’s for life. Now that the acceptance part is over with, you move on (quite literally) to the next part of this magic phrase.

Where all of the suffering comes from is hanging out in the part that can’t be changed, beating ourselves up about that person we slept with, if only we could go back and tell them off, if only, if only, if only, etcetera, etcetera … But why are we dwelling on something that’s simply not possible? There’s nothing about a herpes cure on the horizon. And there’s no such thing as an anti-herpes time machine. As far as I know, it’s not even in development yet — The laws of space and time (as far as my calculations show) won’t allow it. Sorry to be the bearer of the truth, but that’s how it is.

Acceptance around simply having herpes allows us to drop that irrational hope of somehow getting rid of herpes so we can live life “like it used to be.” This acceptance around herpes allows us to move into our life as it actually is without the fantasy (Read “Key to being happy with herpes? Give up hope.” for more). Dropping this false expectation allows us to move on cleanly into part 2 …

PART 2: “… then what?”
This is the cool part … This is the part where we get to see our life as it actually is. Hey, everyone’s got stuff, everyone’s got baggage. Ours includes herpes (maybe a few other nice carry-on items). So what are we going to do with our life now that we’ve accepted we have baggage? Yes, life with herpes doesn’t look exactly the same as life without herpes. But what are you still comparing for anyway? (Refer back to Part 1 … no need to compare when it is what it is, right?)

One thing that may jump out at us: Now we have a responsibility to have the herpes talk before we sleep with someone; and hey, I’ll hand it to you: the herpes talk ain’t always a walk in the park; but it’s something we honest people do now that we’ve accepted that we have herpes. Ultimately, just by us deciding to have the talk shows what kind of a person we are. Pretty decent in my book. (By the way, the herpes talk can be a walk in the park if you focus on the right things when you disclose; check out the herpes disclosure e-book for more on that.)

So let’s wrap this baby up: “If I’m in total acceptance that I have herpes, then what?” Ask yourself that question. What does a person who has moved on from having herpes be an issue do in their life? You can be that person right now.


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Herpes statistics

There are a lot of herpes statistics that are thrown around these days. Here they all are in one place for your convenience. (To see a handy visual chart of population breakdown, download the free herpes disclosure e-book here.)

All statistics below are based on Americans 14-49 years old:

All: 16.2% (over 25 million; 1 out of 6) have genital herpes(Note: 80% of all Americans have oral herpes)Women: 20.9% of women have genital herpesMen: 11.5% of men have genital herpesBlacks: 39.2% of black Americans have genital herpes (48% of black women!)Whites: 12.3% of white Americans have genital herpes80% of Americans with genital herpes (HSV-2) are unaware of their infection (which is why it’s important for everyone to specifically request the herpes blood test with their STD screening)Up to 50% of new genital herpes infections are caused by HSV-1, mainly through cases of oral herpes being passed through oral sex (Source: The New York Times Health section)

Most statistics above were found on the CDC fact sheet on herpes.
herpes forum


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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Herpes and self-sabotage

A common theme across the board on this herpes blog, in my responses in the herpes forum and support I offer my herpes coaching clients is the fact that most of the roadblocks we encounter around “coping with” having herpes are actually self-inflicted; the way we feel held back has less to do with herpes itself and more to do about how we feel about ourselves having herpes. Yes, there is a stigma, yes, sometimes it stings to get a “you have what?” reaction to a herpes disclosure … but how we react to herpes stigma or a herpes talk rejection ultimately comes down to how we feel about ourselves. Someone judging you about having herpes becomes more about realizing they are judgmental or have a negative association with herpes vs. you being a bad/dirty person. And if we feel ashamed of ourselves and guilty about our situation, we tend to self-sabotage. After all, the first roadblock to our happiness is usually ourselves, not our life circumstances. This isn’t just about herpes. This self-sabotaging tendency applies to other things, too. Like our self-control around eating donuts, for example … Yes, donuts. How are donuts and herpes connected? Good question …

The more compassion we can have for ourselves, the more resilient we will be in all areas of life.

I ran into the youtube video below randomly, and it struck me how many parallels there are between the guilt, shame and self-judgment around any of the many things we do in our lives that we feel are wrong or make us into a bad person. This can apply to anything we have self-judgment about, whether it’s herpes, smoking, drinking and yes, eating donuts.

The donut study. Synopsis: Participants in this study were trying to manage their weight and be more health-conscious. The study kicks off with basically forcing a donut on them (evil, right?). At this moment, I imagine that shaming voice in the back of their heads was having a shame field day: “You failed, you fatty. See, I knew you weren’t good enough to keep up with your diet. Clearly, being healthy doesn’t mean anything to you, you loser.” Recognize this voice? I know I do …

Note: Start watching at 16:20 for the setup to the study.

The designers of the study had a hypothesis, and that was that the shame and guilt experienced by failing the willpower challenge would actually undermine their potential in the future. So they gave half the participants a simple message in the hopes of getting rid of the guilt and shame that comes when people make a mistake (a let-them-off-the-hook message): “We realize that some people feel guilty after eating the donut. We want you to remember that everyone indulges sometimes and we asked you to do it. Please don’t be too hard on yourself about it.”

Next, all of these (supposed) health-conscious people were then asked to “taste-test” a smorgas-borde of candy. Who ended up eating more candy? The people who WEREN’T given the let-them-off-the-hook message ate TWICE as much candy!

The power of self-forgiveness. The harder you are on yourself when you make a mistake, the more likely you will be to repeat that mistake in the future, and the bigger it’s going to be when you do. This seems to fly in the face of common sense: If I give myself a break and don’t punish myself for messing up, I’ll never learn, right? But many studies have proven otherwise. For example, problem drinkers or smokers who beat themselves up about drinking/smoking too much tend to feel so horrible that they need to be comforted with something, which just so happens to be the very thing they are beating themselves up about! So self-forgiveness is an important component to the herpes healing process. “I have herpes and I’m okay.”

So what does this have to do with herpes? In general, the more compassion we can have for ourselves, the more resilient we will be in all areas of life. Thankfully, this isn’t just some woo-woo rose-colored glasses hope: It’s been proven time and time again in research studies. It’s like the self-judgment and shame and self-criticism acts like a drain to our life force, sapping us of our own will to live. Compassion and self-forgiveness seem to do the opposite: These acts of self-kindness give us the boost we need in tough times, much like your track-and-field coach who, after you trip and fall, says “You’re fine! Dust yourself off! Get back up! You got this!”

And, sadly, what I hear a lot of on the herpes forums and with my herpes coaching clients is  a deep self-resentment, a profound sense of “I did something wrong and I need to punish myself so I learn my lesson.” The good news to you if you fall in this category of self-shaming (and a lot of us do) is this: You can officially let yourself off the hook. Much like the participants in the donut study were told: “We realize that some people feel ashamed about getting herpes. But we want you to remember that (most) everyone indulges in sex every now and again … Please don’t be too hard on yourself about it.” You got this.


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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

STDs Blocked by Nano Gel, Study Suggests

Women someday could protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections by using a gel that uses nanoparticles to deliver drugs to the vaginal walls, a new study in mice suggests.

Researchers used the gel to deliver an anti-herpes drug to the mice and found that the technology tripled the level of protection that the drug normally provides against a herpes infection.

It's possible the gel's protection could be made to be long-lasting, so it could be applied hours before sexual intercourse, according to the study, which appears today (June 13) in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

If the gel is found fit for human use, the composition of the gel makes it likely that a woman could use it discreetly, without her partner noticing it, the researchers added.

To see just how much the nanoparticle delivery system improved a drug's effectiveness, the researchers purposefully chose an anti-herpes medication that was not particularly effective, and a strain of herpes virus that was remarkably infectious.

"We could protect animals fairly well, with a wimpy drug, against a strong herpes infection," said study researcher Justin Hanes, director of the Center for Nanomedicine at the John Hopkins School of Medicine.

The research has yet to be tried in people, and rodent studies often don't hold up in humans. Under ideal circumstances, clinical trials of the gel could be possible within a year or two, Hanes said.

The trick to developing the gel was making the particles small enough and slick enough to get through the mucus that coats the inside of the vagina. Hanes likened the problem to a bug trying to fly through a spider web.

"There could be a bug that's small enough to fit through a spider web, but that doesn't mean it will get through without getting stuck," he said. But with small, "non-sticky" nanoparticles, the drug was evenly applied across nearly 100 percent of the vaginal surface — a feat given the vagina's complex, folding walls, Hanes said.

When they applied the anti-herpes drug to mice, the researchers found that the drug's effectiveness in preventing herpes increased from 16 percent without the nanoparticles, to 53 percent with the nanoparticles.

Those results are quite promising, said Chi Lee, a professor at the University of Missouri's Kansas City School of Pharmacy, who was not involved with the research.

The new technology could be used to administer a "microbicide agent against any type of sexually transmitted disease, including AIDS or HPV cancer," Lee said. The research could make a great impact on clinical practice, he added.

Hanes said this type of drug application could be particularly important for women because it could give them more control over their sexual health.

While condoms are certainly very effective at preventing sexually transmitted infections, some people don't like to use them, and in some cases, women are unable to get their partners to wear them.

 "Women in developing countries need a discreet method of protection," Hanes said.

Lee noted that modeling the human sexual experience with mice is difficult, so differences between mice and people, in terms of the gel's effectiveness, are likely to be seen when they research the possibility of human use.

The researchers said they believe the gel's mechanism will work the same way in humans.

The gel could have applications other than preventing sexually transmitted infections, the researchers said. The technology could be applied to penetrating mucus at other sites, such as the eyes, ears, nose, mouth or rectum, and could treat diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or lung cancer, that develop in mucus-covered body surfaces.

Pass it on: Women may soon be able to protect themselves from STDs with a new gel that uses nanoparticles.

Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Find us on Facebook and Google+.

Copyright 2012 MyHealthNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Monday, June 25, 2012

People with Painful and Embarrassing Moles Now Have a New Weapon: The Electro Waveform Technology of the VyGone ...

VyGone Inhibitor Zapper brings eliminates moles, warts and other skin growths, and also provides fast, effective relief for the symptoms of cold sores, herpes, genital warts and other uncomfortable and embarrassing conditions before they ever appear

SPRINGVILLE, UTAH (PRWEB) June 13, 2012

If you have moles or warts, you know how embarrassing they can be. But the power of electro waveform technology is a proven,effective way to get rid of moles and even provide an effective wart treatment.

Warts and moles are commonly small and flat, often single but sometimes clustered. They usually develop on fingers, hands and feet, and less frequently on arms, legs, neck, abdomen or back. Planter warts are common on the sole of the foot and if inflamed, may cause ongoing irritation or pain. Skin warts and moles are not as easily transferred by contact.

The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper literally zaps away moles and warts using the power of electro waveform technology. When applied to warts and moles and other areas affected by microscopic viruses, the mild electro waveform released by the VyGone Zapper stops viral activities and allow fast natural healing.

For the treatment of warts and moles, simply apply the Viral Inhibitor Pro for 4 full cycles in a circular pattern around the edge of the wart in a 4-star pattern. Because warts are typically dry, wet the skin for better electro signal conduction. Applications should be hourly, up to 8 times a day. Continue applications for several months until moles and warts shrink and fall off.

MD, of Orem, Utah, said the healing power of the VyGone Zapper was amazing.

“My wife had a lot of moles,” MD said. “We treated these with the Viral Inhibitor Pro and they started to shrink. They were raised and became un-raised and started to disappear. Warts will also disappear, if you apply it regularly, they’ll just vanish! It wipes away genital warts and it wipes through warts wherever they occur.”

But the VyGone Zapper is not just effective against warts and moles. It also can be used to eliminate the symptoms of cold sores, genital warts, molluscum, genital herpes, and even shingles.

Cold sores are herpes viruses that are transmitted by kissing, eating or drinking after someone already infected with the virus. Many people are infected unknowingly while they are still in their youth. The viruses – which are like a short DNA protein and are 100,000 times smaller than a cell -- are not alive. Therefore, they can never be killed, so nothing can cure cold sores.

Instead, the viruses lie dormant until they enter cells, copy millions of times, then burst and invade more cells. When they do, symptoms of cold sores can include early irritation, tingling, itching, burning, redness, pain, fever and tightness.

When the damage from these eruptions is sensed by the body’s immune system, it toughens the cell walls, then “dilutes” and ejects the Herpes viruses in blisters and weeping lesions that may take weeks to heal. After the blisters fade away, some of the virus remains, enters nerves and resides there dormant until the next breakout. Eventually they re-emerge and attack again.

But the VyGone Zapper can stop the blisters and lesions caused by cold sore viruses from ever forming. Its electrical pulses simulate the neural signals that stop herpes activities outside nerves. Without viral interference, the body’s fast natural healing can start to heal the outbreak.

The VyGone Zapper Pro is good for thousands and thousands of treatments. A typically cold sore can be dealt with in four to eight treatments. However, you can treat it as many times as you would like, and it can be used up to every half hour until the symptoms disappear.

People with moles, warts and other conditions now have a safe and effective tool to combat their often painful and embarrassing condition. Safe and effective the VyGone Zapper wart remover and mole eradicator can make these growths disappear forever. For more information about the electro waveform technology used by the VyGone Zapper, visit our website at http://www.VyGone.com.

Kelsie Green
Vygone Zapper
208-323-9451 7102
Email Information


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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Love, H Style Launches New Redeveloped Social Networking Platform

Social Networking website for people with Herpes and HPV, LoveHStyle.com, launches new redeveloped social networking platform.

New York, NY (PRWEB) June 20, 2012

Love, H Style has just unveiled its new website. LoveHStyle.com is the best dating site to meet and mingle with individuals living with Herpes and HPV.

“Love, H Style is more than just a dating site,” says CEO and founder, Monti Robinson, “I wanted to bring together the vast millions of people worldwide who live with these two viruses by providing information, long-lasting friendships, education, guidance, and support.” Robinson himself was diagnosed with the Herpes virus five years ago, and knows the importance of communication and support.

In addition to HPV and Herpes support, the social platform will also be used as an education tool. “In my opinion, the worst part of Herpes or HPV is that you can have the virus in your system for years without showing any signs, allowing people to spread the virus unknowingly,” said Robinson; “The public needs to know how to protect themselves through education.”

Love, H Style connects individuals who share similar interests and experiences, and who may have HPV or Herpes or have a partner, friend, or family member who has been diagnosed. The site is unique in its effort to raise awareness of Herpes and HPV while providing a platform though which to build lasting relationships.

The site currently offers a number of useful social media tools, such as the ability to post on other’s profiles, search features, direct message, blogs, email notification, photo galleries, and much more to come.The site is completely confidential, and everyone is invited to join the singles waiting to find lasting love and friendships on LoveHStyle.com.

Amy McInerney
Social Focus Marketing
978-607-0131
Email Information


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Saturday, June 23, 2012

The New Technology Introduced By VyGone Provides Relief to People Suffering From Skin Growth Problems

Vgone Inhibitor Zapper is a perfect solution for people who are struggling with embarrassing skin growth problems. The technology provides fast relief from moles, warts, herpes, cold sores and so on...

SPRINGVILLE, UTAH (PRWEB) June 14, 2012

Skin growth problem is not a new problem. People have been struggling with warts, moles and herpes since ages. The good news is that these problems can be eliminated with the help of a newly introduced technology from Vygone.

The skin growth issues often develop on areas of body like fingers, hands, arms, legs, feet, back etc. They are a result of viral activities around these areas. Sometimes, these moles and warts may also cause pain and irritation and fast treatment becomes mandatory.

VyGone has come up with a perfect Zapper that uses the power of electro waveform technology to eliminate unwanted skin from affected parts of the body. This Zapper is providing fast relief to people who are tired of their embarrassing skin problems and need a long lasting treatment for warts and moles.

The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper can be applied directly on the affected areas. It fights against the viral activity on the affected areas and provide relief in a natural way. The Viral Inhibitor Pro needs to be applied to wet skin up to 8 times a day. The treatment needs to be continued for several months for complete removal of moles and warts.

VyGone Zapper also works perfectly to cure cold sores, genital warts, molluscum, genital herpes, and shingles. It is important to note that most types of herpes are transmitted by direct skin contact. It is difficult to remove these viruses because they are very, very small and can spread quickly. Some herpes viruses are hundred thousand times smaller than single cells.

When the virus enters the body, it lies dormant until it enters cells. After that, it will copy itself endlessly and invade more and more cells. The early symptoms of virus infection include skin itching, burning, redness and fever. Even if the blisters and sores are treated, the virus will remain inside and may attack again. Therefore affected individuals need long term treatments like VyGone Zapper.

The VyGone Zapper is more effective if it is used in the early stages of problem. Aaron from Wyoming’s experience is the best example of great results of in this regard. Aaron says that, “My cousin told me about this Zapper and how well it works so I bought one. I get lots of Cold Sores so it wasn’t too long until I got one and had a chance to use it. I felt it coming on and zapped it a couple of times in its earliest stages. The burning stopped immediately and the cold sore never broke the skin. My only complaint about this Zapper is that I didn’t have it when I got married”

The VyGone Zapper Pro is truly a blessing for all those people who are suffering from embarrassing skin problems and want to treat cold sores and warts as soon as possible. The best part is that VyGone Zapper is 100% natural, non-invasive, non-chemical and non-additive treatment that gives relief from various types of skin problems. It has no side effects and it is easier to carry and transport.

More information about this product can be obtained at: http://www.VyGone.com.

Kelsie Green
Vygone Zapper
208-323-9451 7102
Email Information


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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Xenoport's Horizant gets new marketing approval

NEW YORK (AP) — Xenoport Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Thursday they received an additional marketing approval for their drug Horizant.

The companies said the Food and Drug Administration approved Horizant as a treatment for nerve pain that follows shingles, a viral infection related to chicken pox. Xenoport and GlaxoSmithKline said around 1 million cases of shingles, or herpes zoster, are diagnosed in the U.S. each year and about 10 percent of patients later develop nerve pain. The condition is called postherpetic neuralgia.

Xenoport is based in Santa Clara, Calif., and it said it will receive a $10 million payment from GlaxoSmithKline upon the first commercial sale of Horizant as a treatment for postherpetic neuralgia. The FDA approved Horizant in April 2011 as a treatment for restless legs syndrome, and it is Xenoport's only approved drug.

Side effects of Horizant in clinical trials for postherpetic neuralgia included tiredness and dizziness.

Shares of Xenoport lost 31 cents, or 5.1 percent, to $5.76 in afternoon trading. The stock has advanced 16.5 percent since May 11. Shares of GlaxoSmithKline rose 16 cents to $44.54.


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Monday, June 18, 2012

Should extreme Orthodox Jewish circumcision be illegal?

New York City is warning parents about a herpes-spreading, mouth-to-genitals circumcision ritual called metzitzah b'peh that has killed two babies In March, New York City confirmed that a second baby in 11 years had died of herpes contracted through an Orthodox Jewish circumcision ritual called metzitzah b'peh, where the rabbi or mohel cleans the blood from the baby's penis with his mouth. From 2000 to 2011, at least 11 baby boys in the city were infected with herpes simplex 1 — common in adults, deadly in infants — through the oral-genital ritual; 10 of them were hospitalized, two suffered brain damage, and two died. New York City's health department, in conjunction with all city-owned hospitals and eight private ones, is now distributing a pamphlet, "Before the Bris," explaining the dangers of metzitzah b'peh, especially targeting the ultra Orthodox haredi Jews who still practice it. Is New York stepping on Jews' freedom of religion, or should the city just outright ban an archaic, potentially deadly tradition that most Jews abandoned 150 years ago?

New York needs to quash this nonsense: A warning pamphlet is better than nothing, but "it is not enough," says Danielle Sullivan at Babble. "This practice needs to be outlawed." New York has to stop "hiding behind religion" and think about the health and lives of innocent babies. But above and beyond the herpes risk, there's a larger issue with this creepy ritual: "No grown man should ever be legally allowed to put his mouth on a newborn's penis... ever."
"NYC hospitals warn parents against extreme circumcision ritual"

SEE MORE: The cost of overprotective parenting: Breaking children's legs?

People are overreacting: Let's look at the numbers here, says Yossi Gestetner at Gestetner Updates: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were about 20,493 metzitzah b'peh circumcisions in New York in a six-year period, working out to 3,415.5 a year, or just under 10 a day. That means about one infant a year, out of 3,416, gets herpes. Extrapolating that math over 11 years, two out of 37,570 New York City babies who undergo this procedure die. To put that in context, "two fathers out of those 37,570 infants had a chance of God-forbid dying in a car accident." With those odds, New York should butt out.
"BEH! Federal gov estimates 10 strictly Orthodox Jewish brisen..."

Regardless, this is another black mark on circumcision: "While often harmless, if the mohel has an easily transmittable disease like herpes, serious problems can occur" from metzitzah b'peh, says Garth Johnston at Gothamist. What we're most curious about is "how this rallies calls to ban circumcision altogether, calls which have been popping up for a while now." Certainly, this is a point for the anti-circumcision "intactivists." But legal or not, tradition dies hard, and "we strongly suspect the age-old practice won't be going anywhere anytime soon."
"Circumcision sucking gave 11 NYC boys herpes..." 

SEE MORE: Is it irresponsible for the depressed to have children?

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Woman gets $900,000 after man gives her STD

Washington, June 6 (IANS) A 49-year-old American woman has been awarded $900,000 by a court after a 69-year-old retiree had sex with her and then confessed to having the sexually transmitted disease (STD) herpes.

According to Daily Mail, a jury heard that in May 2010 the two met for their fourth date where, after an evening over wine and smoking marijuana, the couple had sex.

Later, the man told her he had STD.

The woman said she took anti-viral medication but it caused large chunks of her hair to fall out and made her weight go up by 30 pounds.

She filed a lawsuit under a pseudonym, and said she had asked the man to wear a condom and he agreed. However, she later noticed he was no longer wearing protection.


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Sunday, June 17, 2012

VyGone Announces Significant Price Reduction for its Unique Inhibitor Zapper Pro Model

The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper Pro can now be ordered directly from the VyGone website at a discounted rate. The Zapper Pro can be used for the natural treatment of a range of conditions including cold sores, shingles, warts and moles.

Springville, UT (PRWEB) June 09, 2012

The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper Pro can now be purchased at a reduced price solely through the VyGone website. The regular retail price of $279.95 has been reduced to $159.95 offering customers a saving of more than $120. Included in the price is free shipping and delivery to all countries around the world. The zapper is a clinically proven alternative to prescription medicines and can be used to treat cold sores in just 4 applications.

The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper Pro is a more powerful version of the popular Plus model. It has a longer battery life and offers thousands more treatments helping to make the VyGone Inhibitor Pro an even more economical alternative to the cost of prescription and over the counter medicines. The Zapper Pro can be used to treat and prevent a number of painful and annoying skin conditions. These include cold sores, genital herpes, moles, shingles, Molluscum Contagiosum and warts.

The Zapper Pro is an effective defence against the herpes virus and the symptoms it causes. While the virus is impossible to remove from the body the Zapper Pro can quickly return it to its dormant state with just a few applications. The device uses advanced electro waveform technology to inhibit the spread of the virus and prevent it from replicating and causing damage. It emits electrical pulses which help to stimulate neural activity and prevent herpes activity outside the nerves.

The Zapper is 100% safe and natural cold sores treatment with no side-effects. Non-chemical and non-invasive it is discrete and portable and can be applied in seconds to affected areas. When used regularly it has been shown to reduce outbreaks of the herpes virus and the severity of attacks.

About VyGone


The VyGone Inhibitor Zapper has received rave reviews from sufferers of cold sores and other conditions since its introduction in 2006. A number of clinical test have been carried out on the zapper in which it has performed exceedingly well. For more information about the VyGone Inhibitor Pro and to find out how to stop a cold sore visit the website at http://www.vygone.com/.

Paul Lynch
Search dot com
0800 2335140
Email Information


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Friday, June 15, 2012

Ritual in Some Jewish Circumcisions Raises Risk of Herpes Infection: Report

THURSDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- The practice of "oral-genital suction" performed during some Orthodox Jewish circumcision ceremonies could leave the infant with a potentially fatal herpes virus infection, health officials warn.

New York City and federal health authorities issued a public advisory Thursday cautioning against the sucking practice because it has been linked to 11 infants becoming infected with the herpes simplex virus type 1 since 2000. Ten of the infected newborns were hospitalized, two developed brain damage and two died, the health officials said.

A newborn can become infected when the adult performing the circumcision places his mouth on the circumcision wound to siphon blood away from the cut. The ritual is only embraced by a handful of sects within the Orthodox Jewish community, according to New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.

"There is no safe way to perform oral suction on any open wound in a newborn," Farley said in a news release. "Parents considering ritual Jewish circumcision need to know that circumcision should only be performed under sterile conditions, like any other procedures that create open cuts, whether by mohelim [the circumciser] or medical professionals."

A report on the infections also appears in the June 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Almost 80 percent of adults carry the herpes simplex virus type 1, which is usually spread orally through common activities and is different from the sexually transmitted type 2 version of the virus. The common cold sore is a typical sign of infection with the herpes simplex virus type 1, but most people don't know they are infected because they have no history of symptoms, officials said.

In six of the 11 circumcision cases, health care providers confirmed that the suction ritual had taken place, although there was evidence of a connection in the other five cases. The ritual more than tripled the risk of infection among newborns getting circumcised, the CDC report stated.

New York's deputy health commissioner, Dr. Jay Varma, said: "The [New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene] has been concerned about this problem for some time. And so we are taking the approach right now to try and educate parents and the community about the dangers of this very specific procedure.

"The infections we're talking about are not the ones people normally associate with sexual type interaction," he added. "Many actually acquire herpes type 1 when they are children, because it can be gotten through very casual contact. This causes what people commonly call cold sores in the mouth.

"We're not implying in any way that these mohel [circumcisers] have done anything untoward in a sexual context," Varma said. "The point is that regardless if you're a mohel or someone else, having direct contact with the mouth and an open wound is a hazard."

To highlight the risks involved, Varma cited an incident in 2004 when twin boys were diagnosed with herpes following oral-genital suction during circumcision. About two weeks later, both babies developed fevers and lesions around their genitals, buttocks and abdomen. One of boys later died.

The boys' mother and hospital staffers were ruled out as a possible source of infection.

Dr. Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology and pathology at New York University Medical Center, said the sucking practice is a "bad idea."

"There are about 500 different microorganisms in the human mouth," he said. "So, I think it's insanity. It's not only unhygienic, but it can potentially kill the child. So, for the protection of children this is a practice that should be discontinued."

More information

For more on herpes, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.


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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Circumcision Ritual May Carry Herpes Risk, CDC Says

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish circumcision practice in which the circumciser places his mouth on a newborn's newly circumcised penis and sucks blood away from the wound carries a risk of transmitting the herpes virus to the baby, sometimes fatally, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report is based on researchers' investigation into the cases of 11 infants in New York City who were infected with the herpes virus after this procedure, known as metzitzah b’peh ("direct orogenital suction"), between November 2000 and December 2011. Ten of these infants were hospitalized, and two died.

Some of the infants’ parents were not aware this technique would be a part of their child’s circumcision, the researchers found. Parents should be aware of the risk of herpes in metzitzah b’peh, and should inquire in advance whether direct orogenital suction will be performed so the practice can be avoided, the CDC researchers said.

"Oral contact with a newborn’s open wound risks transmission of [herpes simplex virus] and other pathogens," the researches wrote in their report. "Circumcision is a surgical procedure that should be performed under sterile conditions."

The virus that was found in most of the infants, called herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) — which is typically associated with cold sores, but does not always cause any symptoms — is highly prevalent in the general adult population, the report said. A 2004 study showed that 73 percent of adults ages 20 and older in New York City carried the virus.

At least three of the infants, including one who died, were circumcised by the same person, the report said. The New York City Commissioner of Health has issued a directive ordering that person to stop performing direct orogenital suction during circumcisions.

At least three mohliem (circumcisers) performed the circumcisions of the 11 infected infants, and there may have been as many as eight mohliem, the CDC said. In some cases, parents refused to identify their child's circumciser to CDC officials.

The rate of newborn boys who undergo direct orogenital suction and contract herpes infections is 24.4 per 100,000, the report said. That's 3.4 times higher than the rate of herpes infections seen in the general newborn male population, which is 8 per 100,000. Other cases of herpes are typically transmitted from mother to infant during delivery.

Neonatal herpes infections is a potentially disabling, life-threatening infection, the report said.  

Physicians should counsel parents considering out-of-hospital circumcisions about the risks of direct orogenital suction, and should consider herpes infection when evaluating a newborn male infant with a fever following Jewish ritual circumcision, and inquire about direct orogenital suction, the CDC said.

Mohelim should inform parents about whether they perform direct orogenital suction, and explain the risk of virus transmission, so that parents can choose not to have their newborns exposed, the report said.

Pass it on: An ultra-Orthodox Jewish circumcision practice may transmit the herpes virus to a newborn.

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The Kid's Doctor: Cold season often brings contagious cold sores

Fever blisters -- also called cold sores -- are fairly common, but they have nothing to do with a cold.

These sores typically appear on the outside of the mouth, on the lips. The majority (about 95 percent) of fever blisters are due to a virus, typically herpes type 1. Because the sores are due to a virus, they're contagious and most people will be exposed to the virus during their lifetime.

Children are typically exposed via contact with an adult, sibling or relative who has a fever blister, or with other children who've mouthed toys or other objects that may have been contaminated with the virus.

In many cases, exposure is asymptomatic, while other children will develop painful vesicles appearing both inside the mouth, on the tongue and gums, as well as on the lips 3-5 days after exposure.

This initial illness is called herpetic gingivostomatitis. The initial infection tends to be more uncomfortable and may take up to two weeks to resolve. The most difficult aspect is oral discomfort, so it's important to make sure infected youngsters stay hydrated. Popsicles are often helpful for this.

Once you've been exposed to the herpes virus, it remains in your nerve endings, where it may be dormant and asymptomatic for years. About 60 percent of children are positive for HSV-1 by adolescence. At times of stress, sun exposure, fever, or menstrual periods, the virus may become active again, and result in a fever blister.

Children who develop a fever blister are also contagious and may spread the virus to others by touching them, or picking at the lesion and then touching other people or objects with their mouths.

Fever blisters may be treated in most cases with a topical antiviral applied directly to the lesion. Prescription medications are available that may shorten the duration of a fever blister by a day or two, especially if started early and applied frequently. If you child experiences recurrent core sores, speak with your pediatrician about the use of oral antiviral medications.

Remember, if you have a fever blister, don't kiss your baby! Although the most viral shedding occurs after the initial HSV infection, you remain contagious with each fever blister, so it is best to take precautions for a few days after an outbreak.

(Dr. Sue Hubbard is a nationally known pediatrician and co-host of "The Kid's Doctor" radio show. Submit questions at www.kidsdr.comat www.kidsdr.com.)


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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Ambushed by recurring cold sores? Here's why

For such a ubiquitous plague, cold sores can be mighty shaming.

In addition to the indignity of wearing a bulging, weepy blister on your lip, sufferers also must contend with the stigma of its source: HSV-1, a type of herpes simplex virus.

But unlike HSV-2, the virus that usually causes genital herpes, cold sores are not usually sexually transmitted (though they can be). Most people get infected with HSV-1 as kids, from kissy adults.

"It is one of the most common viral infections, and yet you're a pariah," said Dr. Adam Friedman, director of dermatologic research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York. "People look at you like you're a leper."

About 70 percent of Americans are infected with HSV-1, but just a third of those infected have cold sore outbreaks, said Bryan Cullen, professor in the department of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke University Medical Center. Genetics likely separates the lucky from the unlucky, he said.

The hardy virus, which stays in your body your whole life, survives by moving up the sensory nerves after initial infection and vacationing in nerve bundles, where immune cells can't find and destroy it. Triggers such as stress, fatigue, sun exposure, picking at your lip or having a cold or the flu can reactivate some infected cells, which travel back to the initial infection site to cause a new outbreak.

There is no cure. Cullen and fellow researchers hope to find a way to disrupt the processes that keep the virus latent, so that they can coax it out of hiding all at once and ambush it with medication. But they're not close to clinical trials, Cullen said.

HSV-1 has been implicated in a number of diseases, including Alzheimer's, though that link is disputed. Though there are rare cases of severe complications from HSV-1 — such as when the virus spreads to the brain in immunocompromised people, causing death or neurological damage — for the most part "the worst part about (HSV-1) is probably the social stigma," Friedman said.

Prevention and treatment

Though the virus is most contagious during an outbreak, when the virus is "shedding," it's also possible to transmit when no outbreak is visible. According to a study published in 2008 in an oral medicine journal, at least 70 percent of people with HSV-1 shed asymptomatically at least once a month.

Friedman recommends keeping your mouth away from others when you feel a cold sore coming, during the outbreak and for a few days after it goes away. That includes oral sex, as HSV-1 can be transmitted from mouth to genitals (HSV-2 also can be transmitted from genitals to mouth).

Taking prescription antivirals such as acyclovir (Zovirax) or valacyclovir (Valtrex) can reduce healing time or prevent a blister from forming at all, clinical trials have shown. It's best to attack during the "prodrome" stage, when many people feel tingling or itching at the infection site, or have flulike symptoms, before a blister appears.

Friedman suggests applying ice at the first hint of a cold sore, holding it against the infected site for no more than 15 minutes, to reduce swelling. You might also soak a cotton ball in whole milk and hold it against the sore for 10 to 15 minutes daily, Friedman said. Milk contains the protein monocaprin, which can halt HSV-1.

Finally, cover a blister with a thick emollient such as petroleum jelly to speed healing and protect the wound from bacteria, Friedman said.

aelejalderuiz@tribune.com


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Monday, June 11, 2012

Mar 21, Genital Herpes Transmission: How is the Virus Transmitted and how you can Preven

Knowledge of the herpes virus, how it is transmitted and how genital herpes transmission can be prevented, is essential for people who suspect they may have contracted the virus and want to avoid passing it on to others, more especially to a sexual partner.

It is very important to note that it is possible to transmit genital herpes even if there are no visible outward signs of the virus. The virus is usually transmitted through direct skin on skin contact, through oral, vaginal or anal sex. It can also be transmitted by a person with a cold sore who kisses a partner’s genital area, so it is strongly recommended to avoid oral sex in the case of an outbreak of facial herpes.

Genital herpes transmission is not necessarily immediately apparent and people can be in a sexual relationship for a long time before developing symptoms for the first time. This can be the case when one of the partners in the relationship is, unknowingly, an asymptomatic carrier of HSV (herpes simplex virus), exhibiting no outward signs of having the virus. It is impossible to predict when asymptomatic shedding of the virus occurs, but it is estimated to be on a minimum of 5% of days in any given year.

This is an excellent argument in favour of testing for the herpes virus if you have had previous sexual partners and want to embark on a new relationship. Proper diagnosis is essential in determining the presence of the virus, the type of virus present and the best form for treatment for the virus.

In the case of active genital herpes, the use of condoms is an obvious way of avoiding genital herpes transmission along with that of a number of other sexually transmitted diseases. While using condoms is not 100% fail-safe, it can reduce the risk of transmission by up to 50%.

Being upfront with your partner about your genital herpes, while a difficult subject to broach, is essential in preventing its spread. It has been proven in scientific studies that those who reveal to a partner that they are carriers of the herpes virus are responsible for a reduction in its spread.

Another way in which you can avoid transmitting herpes is by watching out for any early warning signs or symptoms which may indicate that an attack is beginning. All sexual contact should be avoided whenever there is an attack in order to minimize the risk.

Choosing a treatment for genital herpes is another important factor in preventing the spread of the virus. You should talk to your medical practitioner about the kind of treatment which is best for you and for the type of herpes which you have contracted. Some people prefer to avoid traditional medication, while others find that suppressive therapy or the use of proven anti-virals is instrumental in avoiding the risk of transmission.

Whatever the course of treatment you decide on, the knowledge of what constitutes risk-taking behaviour, the ways in which the herpes simplex virus is transmitted and the ways in which you can tackle it will be essential in preventing genital herpes transmission.
Four Top Herpes Transmission Facts You Must Know to Prevent Spreading Herpes

Herpes Transmission: What You Must Know!

Oral Herpes Transmission and Cold Sores: Learn The Facts!


Back to top of genital herpes transmission

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Apr 02, Herpes Transmission: What You Must Know

Herpes transmission is the biggest concern for people with herpes. Often they don’t mind having symptoms as much as they worry about transmitting the virus. It seems that many would consider herpes to be no more than a nasty form of eczema if the risk of giving it to someone else did not exist. I had confirmation of this when I did an online survey with people who had already bought one of my books, Herpes Wise. To understand why people with herpes are so concerned with transmitting to someone else, one has to understand how herpes is transmitted and how tricky it can be to prevent transmission.

Herpes is a highly contagious virus that can be transmitted with or without any outward signs that the virus is present. Transmission is usually through skin-on-skin contact such as kissing and sexual contact. It can also be passed on by sharing a drinking glass or lipstick.

What makes herpes transmission especially hard to avoid is that carriers may not show any outward signs of the virus, but still be “shedding” the virus from their skin. It is not possible to predict when this asymptomatic shedding occurs.

Genital herpes is usually transmitted through sexual contact. Direct contact with the virus includes kissing or caressing infected areas and vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you have a cold sore and kiss a partner’s genital area you can infect that person with genital herpes.

Cold sores are a sign of oral herpes. They are usually on the lips, but can also appear inside the mouth and even on the face or neck. Oral herpes can also be passed on by kissing, with or without tongues. If you have a cold sore, you are infectious from the first sign of it.

The herpes virus can be spread from one part of the body to another, especially to the eyes. It is important to avoid touching an infected area during an outbreak and remember to wash your hands if you do.

There is little chance of catching the herpes virus through shared towels or toilet seats because the virus cannot live for very long outside the body. It is practically impossible to transmit herpes at the swimming pool, because the chlorine in the water kills the virus.

If you are someone who has herpes, then you will definitely want to inform yourself about the virus itself and all the ways you can prevent both oral herpes and genital herpes transmission.

Further readings:

Four Top Herpes Transmission Facts You Must Know to Prevent Spreading Herpes

Genital Herpes: How is the Virus Transmitted and how you can Prevent Spreading it?

Oral Herpes Transmission and Cold Sores: Learn The Facts!
Forces of Nature - Buy Now - All Natural

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Saturday, June 9, 2012

To spread, nervous system viruses sabotage cell, hijack transportation

ScienceDaily (May 30, 2012) — Herpes and other viruses that attack the nervous system may thrive by disrupting cell function in order to hijack a neuron's internal transportation network and spread to other cells.

Princeton University researchers made the first observation in neurons that common strains of the herpes virus indirectly take control of a cell's mitochondria, the mobile organelles that regulate a cell's energy supply, communication with other cells, and self-destruction response to infection. The team reports in the journal Cell Host and Microbe that viral infection elevates neuron activity, as well as the cell's level of calcium -- a key chemical in cell communication -- and brings mitochondrial motion to a halt in the cell's axon, which connects to and allows communication with other neurons.

The authors propose that the viruses then commandeer the proteins that mitochondria typically use to move about the cell. The pathogens can then freely travel and reproduce within the infected neuron and more easily spread to uninfected cells. When the researchers made the mitochondria less sensitive to calcium the viruses could not spread as quickly or easily.

These findings reveal a previously unknown and highly efficient mechanism that some of the most common strains of herpes viruses in humans may use to proliferate in the nervous system, said lead author Tal Kramer, a doctoral student in the lab of the paper's co-author Lynn Enquist, the Henry L. Hillman Professor of Molecular Biology and chair of Princeton's molecular biology department.

Kramer and Enquist used rat neurons to study two herpes viruses in the alpha-herpes virus subfamily: pseudorabies virus (PRV), a model alpha-herpes virus that infects animals, and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), an extremely common human virus that causes cold sores and other lesions. Other human alpha-herpes viruses are responsible for causing diseases such as chicken pox and shingles.

"No one before has looked carefully at mitochondrial motion during alpha-herpes virus infection in neurons. We provide new insight into how these viruses damage cells in the nervous system in ways that are important for the virus to propagate," Kramer said.

"If mitochondria are stopped in their tracks and can't go anywhere, that is potentially very bad," he said. "They are not only the power plants of the cell, but regulate important processes. The virus likely acts to interfere with many of those processes."

Beyond herpes, the Princeton findings present a possible explanation for how other neurotropic viruses such as rabies, West Nile and polio attack and disrupt the nervous system, Kramer said. Although these viruses are different from the herpes family, the fact that HSV-1 and PRV had a similar effect on mitochondrial motion and function suggests that other pathogens could corrupt mitochondria in the same way, he said.

In addition, the paper lays out the implications of distorted mitochondrial function on neuron health. Mitochondrial malfunction is a known factor in non-infectious neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, Kramer said, though the pathway to this disruption is not entirely known.

"Our model raises some new and exciting possibilities for future research on other important human viruses that can invade the nervous system and cause disease," Kramer said.

"And the fact that alpha-herpes infection damages the same key cellular function as neurodegenerative disorders also is striking," he said. "Understanding how viral infection damages neurons might give us insight into how diseases like Alzheimer's do the same. The viruses we study hijack well-studied cellular pathways that might make an effective target for future therapeutic strategies."

In a healthy neuron, mitochondria move throughout the cell's elongated, tree-like structure to provide energy for various processes that occur throughout the cell. For the strenuous task of long distance intercellular communication, mitochondria move along the axon and synapses, sites of cell-to-cell contact where signaling occurs.

Calcium plays a key role in this cell communication, Kramer explained. A neuron experiences a spike in calcium levels in the axon and synapses when it receives a signal from another neuron. Though a natural rover, mitochondria contain a protein called Miro that detects this rush of calcium and stops the organelles in the synapse. The mitochondria then provide energy as the cell passes a signal along to the next neuron.

Through live-cell imaging of neurons grown in the Enquist lab, Kramer and Enquist observed how this process becomes corrupted by HSV-1 and PRV -- and how the viruses need the process to spread.

The chaos begins when the virus ramps up the neuron's firing of electrical signals, as was first reported in a 2009 paper published in the journal PLoS Pathogens by Enquist; first author Kelly McCarthy, a past member of Enquist's lab who received her doctoral degree from Princeton in 2011; and David Tank, the Henry L. Hillman Professor of Molecular Biology and co-director of the Princeton Neuroscience Institute.

In the latest research, Kramer and Enquist found that this spike in electrical activity floods the axon and synapses with calcium. As a consequence, the Miro proteins detect the increase in calcium and stop mitochondrial motion. The virus' control over the cell immediately dropped off, however, when Kramer and Enquist interfered with Miro's ability to respond to the uptick in calcium levels. Though the viral infection was not completely disrupted, it could not spread within or to other cells with the same efficiency.

Based on these observations, Kramer and Enquist suggest that viruses such as HSV-1 and PRV may bring mitochondria to a standstill in order to hijack their transportation. Mitochondria move about the neuron on the backs of motor proteins dynein and kinesin-1. During viral infection, mitochondria shed these proteins to stop moving when Miro detects an upsurge in cellular calcium.

Previous research has shown that HSV-1 and PRV also use kinesin-1 specifically for transport within an infected cell. Thus, Kramer said, his and Enquist's work suggests that it is very likely that the viruses disrupt mitochondrial motility so that they can hitch themselves to the now available kinesin-1 proteins and move through the nervous system more efficiently.

James Alwine, a University of Pennsylvania professor of cancer biology, said that the Princeton research is a significant contribution to a growing body of research that describes how viruses seize cellular motor proteins such as kinesin-1.

While the findings have therapeutic potential -- particularly in helping show how balancing cellular calcium might subdue viral infection -- the demonstration that viruses can move through an infected cell with the ease of something as essential as mitochondria is notable in itself, said Alwine, who is familiar with the research but had no role in it.

"Determining the specific mechanism by which Miro function is abrogated may provide additional therapeutic avenues, but this also is marvelous basic research that does not have to be justified by its therapeutic potential," he said.

"To disrupt the loading of mitochondria to motor proteins so that virions [complete virus particles] can load instead is a clever way for a virus to be transported and is a great new idea provoked by this data," Alwine said. "While other neurotropic viruses would have to be tested specifically, movement in nerve cells is required by all of them. Thus, this observation provides a starting place and a model mechanism for research with those other pathogens."

This research was published May 17 in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, and supported by the National Institutes of Health and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Grant.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Princeton University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Tal Kramer, Lynn W. Enquist. Alphaherpesvirus Infection Disrupts Mitochondrial Transport in Neurons. Cell Host & Microbe, 2012; 11 (5): 504 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2012.03.005

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.


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6/1 MedWorm: Genital Herpes



MedWorm: Genital Herpes







HPA figures show rise in diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections in England

May 30, 2012 at 11:00 PM
Source: Health Protection Agency (HPA) Area: News Figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show a rise in the diagnoses of new sexually transmitted infection (STI) by 2% in England in 2011, with nearly 427,000 new cases, reversing the small decline observed the previous year. The overall rise seen in 2011 was primarily driven by new diagnoses increasing in:   . Gonorrhoea (up by  25% on 2010) . Syphilis (up by 10%) . Genital herpes (up by 5%)   Young heterosexual adults (15 to 24 years) and men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the groups at highest risk. (Source: NeLM - News)
MedWorm Sponsor Message: Have a look at The Infectious Diseases Daily, the new MedWorm portal for infectious disease specialists, updated daily with all the latest infectious diseases news and research.










FAST RESULTS GENITAL HERPES TREATMENT (Benzalkonium Chloride,Allantoin) Liquid [Merix Pharmaceutical Corp.]

May 23, 2012 at 12:00 AM
Updated Date: May 23, 2012 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))





Saturday, June 2, 2012

Mar 27, Herpes Research: new drug may provide alternative HSV-2 herpes treatment

Welcome to Best-Herpes-Treatments.com herpes blog. This blog is designed to show you what is happening at Best Herpes Treatments .com and also to share herpes treatment news that are not displayed elsewhere on this website.

Cure Herpes Symptoms Naturally in 48h

If you want information and guidelines on natural herpes remedies that can help you stop genital herpes symptoms in 3 days without reaching blister stage, I recommend you read Herpes Wise. The information in this book has helped me remain herpes symptoms free for more than 6 years now. Visit Herpes Wise now


May 7, 2012

I have read several cases where people with herpes believed artificial sweeteners, especially Aspartame make their symptoms worse.

In a recent internet article, Dr Mercola argues that the artificial sweetener Neotame may be even more harmful than aspartame. That’s a powerful claim. Aspartame has been associated with harmful neurological effects from dizziness and unsteadiness right up to epilepsy and severe tremors. My advice about aspartame, like Dr Mercola’s is this. Leave it alone!

So what about Neotame? It’s been approved by the FDA, and its makers, Nutrasweet, a subsidiary of Monsanto, claim that because it is up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar the tiny amount needed to sweeten products means that any toxicity is reduced to an absolute minimum

The FDA gave this product approval as long ago as 2002, even though the European Union, Norway, India and Israel played safe and did not approve it until eight years later.

Mercola sites an apparently unhealthy relationship between the FDA and ex Monsanto executives casting doubt on the impartiality of the former over the latter

So is Neotame a safe and effective substitute for sugar and harmful sweeteners – or just a money-spinning Monsanto alternative? : “Over 100 scientific studies were done to establish the safety on neotame. A comprehensive battery of safety studies in animals and humans demonstrated no adverse effects from neotame.”

Mercola claims: “Neotame is like aspartame on steroids..”

I say that so long as there are genuine organic alternatives to sugar, why take any risks? I recommend you give all artificial sweeteners a wide berth if you want to be sure of avoiding any nasty incidental side-effects.

Dr Mercola often recommends Stevia extracts instead. Natural stevia extract may have a bitter taste if you use too much of it but it's usually much better than artificial sweeteners. Also, I like to drink licorice tea. It just tastes naturally sweet and does not contain any form of sugar. What’s more, it contains an acid that is known to fight herpes.

Apr 26, 2012

There’s something “bugging” the vegetarian and vegan coffee drinking community right now…

My advice to anyone who is unfortunate enough to suffer regular herpes outbreaks has always been to cut coffee out of their diet. Caffeine in coffee drives up stress levels, or at least when combined with everyday work stress, throws the body’s stress-related hormones into overdrive producing the same effect as extreme stress.

In a 1999 Duke University Medical Center (Durham NC) survey, Prof. James Lane explained: “Moderate caffeine consumption makes a person react like he/she is having a very stressful day. If you combine the effects of real stress with the artificial boost in stress hormones that comes from caffeine, then you have compounded the effects considerably.”

As if that weren’t enough reason for you to at least re-consider your daily coffee allowance, Starbucks recently raised stress levels in the vegan community into the stratosphere when it was revealed that the red coloring in its Strawberries and Crème Frappucino, made with soya milk and boldly advertised as “vegan friendly” is none other than cochineal – a product extracted from an insect found in South and Central America!

Co-founder of thisdishisvegetarian.com, Daelyn Fortney is urging Starbucks to revert to a natural red coloring such as beetroot and Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) sardonically suggests that they could consider using strawberries as natural coloring.

On March 30, Starbucks issued a statement saying they were: “reviewing alternative natural ingredients” and later CEO Howard Schulz confirmed: “We probably will reformulate [the beverage]. We’re going to make the right decision.”

My final word? Vegetarian, Vegan or not, if you’re suffering regular herpes outbreaks – just give all coffee a wide berth, especially if you’re prone to stress.

To learn more about which foods to eat to prevent herpes, please read my article on herpes diet

Apr 23, 2012

Vaginal herpes causes unpleasant symptoms like itchiness, blisters and sores. It can be very mild or quite debilitating. Genital herpes becomes a concern when it affects the vagina during pregnancy

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Vaginal Herpes: What Women Should Know about Genital Herpes?"

Apr 10, 2012

We know that herpes can and does affect our lives in many ways. From an unwelcome but controlled condition to a waking nightmare, it’s something we cannot ignore.

But we don’t really take much account of the herpes virus in relation to the rest of the living world. Now science is telling us that perhaps we should. It has been known for several years that the world’s coral resources are diminishing fast. In the Caribbean Sea, the presence of coral has fallen by around 80 percent in the past three to four decades, while in the rest of the world around a third of all coral is under threat of extinction.

Many factors, including human abuse and neglect of coral reefs, have been pinpointed as a cause for this rapid decline, but in recent years, research has centered on diseases which could be killing the coral.

Now Rebecca Vega-Thurber, assistant professor of microbiology at Oregon State University has discovered that a type of herpes virus is present in a large amount of coral. It seems that herpes-like viral sequences occurred in coral after episodes of stress.

A review of Prof. Vega-Thurber’s findings is published in The Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. The findings suggest that viral infections, notably herpes, may be responsible in part for the decline of coral reserves worldwide.

But the professor qualifies her research, explaining: “Just because you harbor a virus doesn’t mean you are getting sick from it. This is part of what we have to pin down with further research.”

Apr 5, 2012

In case you’ve not heard of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), it’s a blue/green algae found in fresh water sources and it thrives in sunny, pesticide free environments. It is a highly effective antioxidant, providing protein, iron and magnesium.

Research from 1993 by the Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University in Japan found that Spirulina also had selective inhibiting effects on herpes simplex HSV-1 in infected hamsters.

The AARP (American Association for Retired Persons) ranks Spirulina as the number one “super food” for extending lifespan and the United Nations recognises it as a significant weapon in the fight against malnutrition.

But perhaps the most interesting and significant research into Spirulina has been in the treatment of radiation sickness. Both Chinese and Belarusian research (following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster) indicated that Spirulina was an effective treatment for children with radiation sickness.

Paradoxically, a major source of Spirulina is Japan, which itself suffered a nuclear meltdown in 2011 at the power plant in Okuma, following the devastating Tsunami. As Spirulina is, like any food, subject to contamination, it is vitally important to know the source of Spirulina if you are considering using it as a dietary supplement.

You can find out more of the benefits of Spirulina in a recent article by Dr. Mercola.

To learn more about which foods can protect you against herpes, please read my article on herpes diet

Apr 2, 2012

Herpes transmission is often the biggest concern for people with herpes. Most people get confused on how one can transmit herpes. Learn how you could give or catch herpes here

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Herpes Transmission: What You Must Know"

Mar 30, 2012

Allied Healthcare Group (Australia) has announced a revenue generating share issue of up to $AUS 6.36 million ($US 6.58 million) to advance some of its most promising research projects.

The Group has a major shareholding in Coridon, which successfully completed pre-clinical efficacy trials of an HSV-2 vaccine in October 2011. Additional funding raised by the company will enable continued trials as well as accelerating progress of Coridon’s next generation HPV vaccine – potentially a huge earner for Allied Healthcare.

Group CEO Lee Rodne said, “This will allow us to take [trials] to the next phase of development and also help in generating shareholder returns in the immediate future.”

This certainly looks like good news for herpes research as well as for investors in a slow-moving economic recovery phase.

Mar 27, 2012

While valacyclovir has proved efficacious in the treatment of herpes symptoms for many people, for some it has proved ineffective. Drugs such as valacyclovir are in a class known as nucleoside analogues - attacking the virus in a particular way.

Dr Rachel Gordon of the Center for Clinical Studies, University of Texas, Houston, says: “[some] HSV strains have dysfunctional thymidine kinase that are immune to oral nucleoside analogues. We know that sexual transmission does occur during suppressive therapy."

In other words, there are strains of HSV-2 genital herpes which appear to be effectively immune to treatment with valacyclovir.

Dr Gordon and her research team have just completed clinical trials of a new approach to tackling HSV-2, known in its development stage as ASP2151. The trials involved 695 adults with recurrent symptoms of genital herpes. Participants were taken off any existing medication and had to experience at least four episodes of genital herpes in the year prior to the commencement of the trial, at least the last of which had to be untreated with any suppressive therapy.

They were then randomly treated with either a placebo, valacyclovir 500mg twice daily or ASP2151 in doses of 100mg, 200mg, 400mg or 1,200mg. Genital swabs were obtained within six hours of the recurrence of lesions, after which suppressive therapy (or placebo) was administered. Viral testing and blood sampling was then performed at regular intervals.

Sample patients were 70% female and with an average age of 40 years. Half of participants were positive for HSV-2 alone and half for both HSV-2 and HSV-1.

In terms of healing times, both valacyclovir and ASP2151 were more effective than the placebo and high dose (1,200mg) ASP2151 produced marginally faster median healing time than valacyclovir. Overall results showed a similar efficacy between the two treatments.

There were no significant side-effects reported with ASP2151; minor effects reported were headache, nausea and dizziness.

It seems that although the effectiveness of ASP2151 and valacyclovir are much the same, they provide different methods of attacking the same problem, so that if a strain of HSV-2 appears resistant to valacyclovir then there could be (depending on final trials) an alternative weapon in the pharmaceutical armory. Mar 21, 2012

Learn how to prevent genital herpes transmission whether you're the one with herpes or the one afraid of catching herpes

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Genital Herpes Transmission: How is the Virus Transmitted and how you can Preven"

Mar 15, 2012

The mayor of Los Angeles has passed into law a requirement for performers in the pornographic film industry to make use of condoms on set. The law represents a victory for LA based Aids Healthcare Foundation, which has been fighting porn producers over the issue for the past six years.

Diane Duke, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) which champions freedom from censorship says: “We are in favor of choice and against government regulating sexual behavior between consenting adults. The public is tired of the government intruding in their lives and their bedrooms, real or fantasy.”

The FSC currently endorses a self-regulating regime of testing performers for sexually transmitted infections every thirty days, but although performers with gonorrhea, Chlamydia and certain other diseases are disqualified from working until they are clear, the scheme does not test for HSV-2 genital herpes.

Former porn actor Derrick Burts, who is HIV positive, says: “Herpes comes with the job. Everyone gets it.” He claims: “Testing is a broken system. It does not protect the performer; it only notifies the performer of what they have.”

The Aids Healthcare Foundation claims that since 2004, the porn industry has produced ten cases of HIV and more than four thousand cases of gonorrhea and Chlamydia. AHF President, Michael Weinstein told The Independent newspaper: "We don't want Nike shoes made by child labor or workers dying on construction sites, so why would we want to sacrifice adult performers on the altar of the porn industry?"

Burts says that porn actors feel powerless and are confronted with film producers who will simply refuse to employ actors who wish to use condoms. Porn producers, in turn, fear their sales will dip if condom use is mandated as the public, according to producer/director Stevie Glasser, is “condom-phobic”.

Glasser believes that adult movie makers will quit Los Angeles in the wake of this legislation, heading for a location where the use of condoms is not compulsory. But as of right now any Los Angeles studio failing to comply with the law will be closed down and their license revoked.

Mar 7, 2012

For some time now successive clinical trials involving both standard and high dose treatment with acyclovir and valacyclovir have shown promising results in the treatment of herpes HSV-2 infection.

But now research headed by Dr Christine Johnston of the Department of Medicine, University of Washington has thrown up a question which is yet to be answered.

Even when acyclovir and valacyclovir are administered at high dose, asymptomatic shedding of the virus is not prevented. What this means is that although patients treated with the antiviral therapy show markedly less sign of lesions, they may still be shedding the virus, accounting for continuing high infection levels.

This doesn't mean that the use of acyclovir and valacyclovir is of no use. The drugs are highly effective at alleviating symptoms and the risk of cross-infection is reduced by approximately 48% as against patients not using the drug. But this is still regarded as a disappointment in the battle against HSV-2 and the continuing spread of the disease.

The study’s authors comment: "The discrepancy between potent suppression of clinical symptoms and failure of antiviral agents to fully prevent HSV transmission is not well understood."

The trial comprised 90 patients who were HSV-2 positive but HIV negative. Different sections of this group were administered either: Acyclovir 400mg twice daily (standard dose)Valacyclovir 500mg daily (standard dose) with acyclovir 800mg three times daily (high dose)No medicationAll three sections experienced all three treatments over periods of four to seven weeks with a one week “washout” period in between each, so that over the period of the trial, all participants had received identical treatment. Genital swabs were collected four times daily from each participant.

Interpretation of the test results showed that short bursts of genital HSV-2 viral shedding were present in all patients, including those on high-dose medication.

Commenting on the results of Dr Johnston’s study, Dr Philippe Van de Perre and Dr Nicolas Nagot of the University of Montpellier (France) said that these findings: "should encourage patients to use condoms and adopt safe sex practices, especially since increase of the treatment dose would not further reduce the risk of transmission to patients' partners."

Mar 2, 2012

There is excitement surrounding Vaxfectin, an innovative HSV-2 inhibiting vaccine under development by Vical Incorporated of San Diego CA.

Earlier this month, Vical’s President and CEO, Vijay Samant announced that in pre-clinical trials of the vaccine, Vaxfectin was shown to provide: “complete protection in guinea pigs against both primary and recurrent HSV-2 disease.” Describing Vaxfectin as one of Vical’s “most exciting developments”, Mr Samant went on to announce that the company was ready to embark on a Phase 1/2 “proof of concept” clinical trial at the earliest opportunity.

Such a trial, if approved, would involve a relatively small number of HSV-2 positive volunteers with a history of recurring genital lesions. The timing and severity of herpes outbreaks would be carefully monitored over a set period of time before Vaxfectin or a placebo were administered. After administration of Vaxfectin or placebo, each patient would continue to be monitored over another defined period, thus providing their own control.

Mr Samant envisages that this initial trial will commence during 2012 and, if successful, will lead into a large safety and efficacy study with a large degree of confidence. He said: “An effective therapeutic vaccine for Herpes Simplex 2 will serve a large and highly motivated market and could generate peak annual sales of more than a billion dollars.”

Feb 24, 2012

Did you ever utter the expression “This job/relationship/situation is killing me!”? Well if you’re anything like me I would be very surprised if you hadn’t said it or something very like it at some stage in your life.

But just how true could that even be? We all tend to exaggerate from time to time and of course all of life’s little ups and downs aren't going to be the end of us. But it is true that stress, in its extreme form, can be very harmful physically. So is there anything we can do about this without reaching for the meds cabinet? Sure there is. It’s simple, it’s been around for centuries and Eastern civilizations swear by its efficacy. It’s called yoga.

Apart from a documented ability to reduce stress, health benefits of yoga listed by Meredith Walker in nursingdegree.net include:

Lower blood pressure, improved circulation, higher pain tolerance and a better controlled metabolism, making it easier to lose weight and control hunger.

I found an interesting article about yoga by Kathy Smith here. You may want to take a look.

If Yoga doesn't appeal to you, you can still get some of its benefit by starting a daily meditation routine. I have used meditation and visualization to both improve my health and lower my stress levels with great success. I also love using some other stress relieving techniques like EFT which is featured in Herpes Antidote, the program I have used to remain outbreak free for 9 years now.

Feb 17, 2012

When you’re trying to combat herpes symptoms you will know by now that I advise that you never take sweet soda drinks and that you try to avoid all kinds of sugar, including fructose.

For a long time it’s been known that sweet, sugary drinks are a contributory factor in obesity, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other complaints. Even if you’re herpes-free it’s just a really good idea to avoid these drinks.

So what about fruit juices? Aren't we told that eating five portions of fruit or vegetables each day is good practice? And isn't a glass of fruit juice equivalent to one of those portions?

Well my advice about herpes stands. All fruit juices contain fructose, a naturally occurring sugar. Sugar consumption and herpes symptoms just don’t go well together, the first tending to “feed” the second. But what about fruit juices in general? The jury is out…

A recent article by Dr.Mercola leans on the fact that even the purest of fruit juices contain a large amount of sugar and suggests that this can be damaging in a number of ways. Indeed, research in 1997 published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American academy of pediatrics, concluded that consumption of 12 fluid ounces or more of fruit juice by young children was associated with short stature and obesity.

A more recent study (2007) led by Theresa Nicklas, pediatrician from the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX found that children who drank 100% fruit juice tended to eat more whole fruit and consume less fats and sugars than children who did not.

But the study also underlines the need for portion control, a 4oz portion (about half a cup) being a healthy option at breakfast. Dr Bob Issenman of the Canadian Pediatric Society makes the point that: “While 100 per cent fruit juice is a healthy food source, especially when consumed with a balanced breakfast, it is also high in sugar and vivid in colour, making it enticing to children as an all-day drink - and leading them to drink more than the children did in the study.”

My advice in short: Don’t drink fruit juices while on a herpes diet. When it comes to normal consumption of juices – make sure they really ARE fruit juices (many commercial brands appearing to be fruit juice contain just 10% of natural juice and are full of sugars and colourings) and limit yours or your children’s intake.

Feb 14, 2012

You’ll often read on these pages about various investments into drug research by giant drug companies like GlaxoSmithKline, StarPharma, Pfizer or Novartis (the list is by no means exhaustive). Make no mistake, I’m totally in favor of investment when it comes to finding new or better cures for miserable conditions like herpes.

Investment into herpes drug trials alone amounts to many millions of dollars each year, but are the pharmaceutical giants in the business of altruism? No they are not. They are in the business of profit making. It may surprise you to know that for every million dollars spent on drug research programs, nearly two million dollars is spent on promotional publicity.

For many years, drug companies have targeted medical practitioners in large and small ways. Notice that smart pen your physician uses to write prescriptions. Isn’t that the name of a drug company embossed on the side? What about that notepad – isn’t that carrying advertising for one drug or another? Like any other business, drug companies are prepared to invest money to ensure that their name is prominent in your doctor’s surgery – and that when he writes you that prescription it is for their product. If that means paying for a golfing holiday or a luxury weekend then so be it.

According to propublica.org, in the year 2009 alone, drug companies paid out over $761 million to physicians and other healthcare professionals.

Recently, however, there have been concerns voiced about the hold pharmaceutical companies have over teaching hospitals and universities. Many medical professionals are beginning to be wary of entering into a cozy relationship with one or other drug company. So have the pharmaceutical companies decided to step back? Well yes and no …

…You may be familiar with the name James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch and Chief Executive of News Corporation. You may not know however that Murdoch Jr. is also a member of GlaxoSmithKline’s Corporate Responsibility (sic) Committee.

The respected British Medical Journal recently reported that The Australian, News Corporation’s flagship Australian newspaper: “has accepted an undisclosed amount of sponsorship money from the drug industry for a series of articles on health policy.”

You may think that represents a conflict of interest, but (in the words of a famous fictitious British Prime Minister) I could not possibly comment.

Feb 6, 2012

What do you reach for when the pain from a herpes outbreak or headache becomes too much to bear? Do you go for the pack marked Tylenol? Tylenol is a branded drug sold in the U.S. whose primary ingredient is acetaminophen, known as paracetamol throughout Europe and much of the world.

There is evidence to suggest that acetominophen/paracetamol is an effective drug in the management of fever and minor aches and pains. And if you sense a ‘but’ coming up, then you’re absolutely right…

… An overdose of this potent drug can KILL. The recommended dosage laid out on the pack is not for fun. It’s been known for a long time that an acute overdose is often lethal, but new research from the University of Edinburgh suggests that even a minor overdose of this stuff over a prolonged period can cause liver failure and that is exacerbated if combined with alcohol.

You may think this drug should be kept under lock and key and prescribed carefully, but in fact you can buy it over the counter in European pharmacies and in some countries, including Britain and the US, you can even buy it in your local supermarket.

I am not telling you that taking this drug is dangerous in itself, though there are alternative painkillers, both chemical and natural. But if you choose to take it, please be aware of the dangers of taking more than the prescribed dose. acetominophen/paracetamol is the largest cause of acute liver failure both in the US and the UK.

You should also be aware that this substance is present in other medicines, including some sold over the counter. It is additionally sold in Europe under the brand names Doliprane and Efferalgan and in India under the name Crocin. In China,Korea and elsewhere it is sold under local brand names. If traveling, be sure to check the ingredients of any unfamiliar analgesic by looking for its chemical name which will be shown either as acetaminophen or paracetamol.

Feb 2, 2012

Could the country you live in determine your risk of contracting chickenpox (herpes zoster)? According to research virologist Dr. Phil Rice of St. George’s, University of London, it almost certainly can.

In temperate climatic zones, chickenpox peaks in the cooler seasons of winter and spring. In many tropical areas, however, the incidence of chickenpox is much lower than, for example, in northern and central Europe. In the past, scientists have attributed this disparity to factors such as mean temperature, humidity and population density.

This theory, however, could not explain the fact that chickenpox outbreaks in India and Sri Lanka peak in the hot, dry sunny season.

Now Dr. Rice has compared data on chickenpox with UV radiation levels for 25 countries. It seems there is a correlation between the UV level and the likelihood of cross-infection with chickenpox. The apparent anomalies of India and Sri Lanka stem from the fact that during the hottest and driest time of the year, UV rays are reflected back into space by low-level air pollution (ozone layer) before they reach earth. Conversely in the humid, monsoon seasons, the UV radiation is able to penetrate the earth’s atmosphere more freely.

Dr Rice says: "No one had considered UV as a factor before, but when I looked at the epidemiological studies, they showed a good correlation between global latitude and the presence of the virus.”

Dr Rice believes his discovery explains why there are two types of chickenpox virus in existence – one temperate and one tropical. The current chickenpox vaccine was developed in the 1970s when only one type of virus was known and Dr Rice believes that his research may help future development of vaccines, cautioning that further studies are required to determine more fully the effect of UV rays on the virus.

Reference: Philip S Rice. Ultra-violet radiation is responsible for the differences in global epidemiology of chickenpox and the evolution of varicella-zoster virus as man migrated out of Africa. Virology Journal, 2011; 8 (1): 189 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-8-189

Jan 26, 2012

Male circumcision reduces herpes risk – but only in men.

Clinical trials in Rakai, Uganda, were set up to test the hypothesis that heterosexual HSV-2 genital herpes infection was less likely when the male partner had been circumcised. It had already been established that circumcision lessened the risk of infection with HIV in men.

In the Rakai experiment, 740 males were enrolled, 368 of whom were randomly selected for circumcision. The female partners of all the men in the experiment were tested HIV and HSV-2 negative.

Over a study period of two years it was found that the incidence of HSV-2 infection among the men who had been circumcised was significantly lower. By contrast however, the HSV-2 infection rate among their female partners was unchanged.

Considering that women are four times more likely to catch herpes than men, circumcision seems to be a healthy choice for discordant couples where the male partner is infected. However, circumcision when performed in adulthood seem to diminish sexual pleasure in some men. You can read more about this on Wikipedia

Jan 19, 2012

It’s been believed for some time that the weeping fig tree (Ficus benjamina) has held healing properties for herpes zoster (shingles) but until recently there has been little scientific evidence to back up the claim.

Now scientists at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have taken ethanol extracts from the leaf of the tree and successfully demonstrated that not only is the extract effective in combating the herpes zoster virus, but also shows good potential in inhibiting HSV-1 and HSV-2 herpes viruses.

Let’s hope this new research leads on to greater things in the future.

Jan 14, 2012

Connecticut based Nanoviricides Inc has succeeded in raising an additional $5 million in funding from Seaside88, a Florida based investment company which has previously provided Nanoviricides with $15 of funding.

Nanoviricides Inc. is pioneering a novel approach to antiviral treatment targeting multiple points of virus particles. It is currently researching this technology in tackling various viruses including herpes viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2, Hepatitis C and influenza.

Company President, Dr. Anil Diwan said “We are pleased with this…financing. [It] comes at a crucial time … [and]... will help us…to move forward with all of the drug programs in our broad pipeline.”

Jan 10, 2012

Last November, one of the vaginal gels being studied for the prevention of HIV and herpes HSV transmission was dropped. It seems that one study after the other either gets dropped or return negative results. The quest for a gel that would prevent STD and herpes transmission during intercourse seems to be ridden with obstacles. Very few of such gels are still in the pipelines.

Here is a herpes article that gives more information about what is currently happening in the microbicide gel world

Jan 6, 2012

Recent research at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Damascus University, Syria sought to establish whether there was a causal link between herpes viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2 and autoimmune thyroid disease. Viral infections have been suspected of being a trigger to autoimmune disease.

The hypothesis was unproven, but remains open to future research on a more diverse scale.

Jan 3, 2012

What were the highlights of 2011 in the medical world? Well here’s a treatment breakthrough hailed recently by Dr Marvin Bittner of Creighton University (Omaha NE) as “one of the biggest advances in medicine this [2011] year.”

Dr Bittner is referring to the use of two new drugs, Incivek (known as Incivo in Europe) and Victrelis in the fight against Hepatitis C, a debilitating liver disease which is responsible for more than 40% of liver transplants in the United States.

Whereas herpes and HIV viruses can only be treated and controlled, Hepatitis C can sometimes be eliminated, although up to now this has only been possible with treatment with the drugs interferon and ribavirin and has successfully eradicated the disease in only about 40% of patients. According to research, Incivek can help cure Hepatitis C faster, reducing the timescale from 48 weeks to 24 weeks in 75 percent of patients. This is a major improvement.

Patients taking either of these new drugs must simultaneously continue with a combined interferon and ribavirin regime, but this new multi-pronged treatment appears to eliminate Hepatitis C in 75 percent of patients when data is extracted from clinical trials.

Treatment with either Incivek or Victrelis is highly expensive, at between $25.000 and $50,000 per patient treatment, excluding the cost of interferon and ribavirin, but most US health insurance policies cover the costs, with financial assistance also offered by both manufacturing companies and Incivek manufacturer Vertex offering the drug free to any uninsured patient whose income is less than $100,000.

The treatment regime is harsh, with side effects including diarrhea, nausea, headache, rash and severe fatigue and, according to hepatitis expert Dr Mark Mailliard of the University of Nebraska, up to twenty percent of patients will not be able to tolerate the new therapy, which is unsuitable for patients with severe liver scarring or certain other medical complications.

Such an improvement in the treatment of Hepatitis C gives me hope for future medical breakthroughs related to herpes treatment. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies keep coming up with very expensive and potentially harmful drugs that only a few can afford.

Dec 30, 2011

After two decades of painstaking research, the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal is preparing for the roll out of tenofovir vaginal anti-retroviral gel.

Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, project director at Vulindlela Rural Research Site, Caprisa (Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa) has been involved with the program from the outset. She told Durban Daily News: “Twenty years might sound a long time, but this sort of science requires painstaking input from every member of the research team. We have had to ensure that every avenue – from concept to proof – has been covered. Now that we can prove that tenofovir gel works, we are looking forward to implementing the next step.”

Tenofovir gel has been found to be effective against both HIV and HSV-2 herpes infections. An ongoing Caprisa trial seeks to confirm the very positive results of previous testing and subject to approval by the Medicine Controls Council, provision of the gel could soon be incorporated into KwaZulu-Natal’s family planning clinics.

The breakthrough has been described by the World Health Organization as one of the most significant in the fight against AIDS.

Dec 27, 2011

Christmas parties, New Year's eve and other celebrations during Holiday Season can bring their loads of stress to the immune system. Drinking, sweets, bakeries, pasteries, late nights all combined are likely to trigger a herpes outbreak.

If you want to prevent herpes from causing any trouble or symptoms this Holiday Season, I invite you to read one of my articles on the subject here

Dec 23, 2011

When you have herpes, you think of it only as a curse, but new research indicates it may actually prove to be a blessing in disguise for women.

Research involving mice carried out at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York City) showed that a genetically modified herpes virus (known as NV1066) could have the potential to treat aggressive breast cancer.

Scientists infected breast cancer cells with the modified virus and then injected the cancer cells into mice. They discovered that 90% of the cancer cells were destroyed within one week.

It must be stressed that this is merely preliminary research and further tests will be needed to see if the treatment is safe and effective in humans. Similar research has been carried out into other forms of cancer but this is the first such study involving breast cancer.

Dec 20, 2011

A study of a microbicide vaginal gel has shown it to be effective in the reduction of HIV infection when applied anally. Whereas it is known that anal intercourse is the main route for HIV infection among men who have sex with men, it is also true that many more women than men practice anal sex. This finding is therefore highly significant in the worldwide fight against HIV infection among both men and women.

The risk of contracting HIV is between 20 and 2,000 times higher with receptive anal sex than with receptive vaginal sex, particularly when other infections, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or herpes are present according to the study’s principal author, Dr. Peter Anton of the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.

In the first part of this phase one clinical trial of the microbicide, known as UC781, a single application of the gel was applied to rectal tissue which was subsequently exposed to HIV in the laboratory. Tissue samples were taken 30 minutes after application. In the second part of the trial, participants were invited to self-administer the gel once daily for a week before returning to the clinic for another tissue sample collection.

This trial involved 36 male and female subjects who were not infected with HIV. Half were given a placebo and half a concentration of UC781. While the trial used gel formulated for vaginal use, further trials of a gel specifically designed for anal use are due to take place in the New Year.

Dr Anton commented: “…it is very gratifying that the results were so impressive. This approach reflects the kind of intensive analyses these dedicated participants … are willing to tolerate to help us evaluate a drug's potential…”

Hopefully, these results will also be encouraging for herpes transmission in further studies.

Dec 15, 2011

The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) currently recommends vaccination against herpes zoster (shingles) for all persons aged 60 or over as a precautionary measure against the onset of the disease. The virus causes chicken pox, largely in children, and after chickenpox symptoms have subsided, as with other herpes forms, the virus lies dormant in the body and can re-emerge as shingles in later life. People over 50 years of age are more vulnerable to shingles outbreaks and half of people living to the age of 85 will experience an episode of shingles.

So are there risks associated with the vaccine?  And do the benefits of inoculation outweigh the risks of side-effects?

The CDC issues its own information sheet, in which it admits that the vaccine is only 50% effective, though there is evidence that even people who go on to contract shingles after vaccination suffer less post-herpetic neuralgia – an often excruciating pain which can last long after the visible shingles rash has disappeared. Other known side-effects, according to CDC can include redness and swelling around the site of the injection and sometimes headache, though headache and sometimes severe headache is a common symptom of the disease itself.

The biggest single long-term risk to health associated with the herpes zoster virus is corneal damage. In the United States, shingles is a major factor in corneal blindness when it affects the eye, and although most cases of shingles do not affect the eye, this is always a possibility.

As with most vaccines, there are specific incidences in which it should not be administered, these include people suffering with certain other medical conditions or having a known allergy to certain substances. These are clearly set out in the CDC guidelines and should be carefully read before any decision on vaccination is made.

Dec 9, 2011

A report from the US Center for Disease Control(CDC) summarizes the story in stark terms: “STDs are one of the most critical health challenges facing the nation today."

Awareness of the dangers of tobacco use has resulted in a significant decline in the incidence of lung cancer; diagnostic techniques and an understanding of diet have resulted in a decline in the rate of colorectal cancer… but have well-publicized HIV Herpes and Chlamydia campaigns had a significant effect on the increase in STDs?  No, they have not.

Reported cases of Chlamydia in the United States have increased year on year for the past twenty years, reaching a staggering 1.3 million in 2010. CDC emphasizes that a major factor in this statistic is improved diagnosis, yet half of all Chlamydia cases remain undiagnosed and less than half of sexually active women take advantage of the recommended annual screening.

While treatment for many STDs improves, there is evidence that gonorrhea may be developing resistance to the only effective antibiotic; herpes infection remains at an unacceptably high level and still incurable and although the incidence of syphilis fell overall between 2009 and 2010, the incidence of the disease in black males rose by over one hundred percent.

Disparity between white, black and Hispanic communities continues, with income and social status a major factor in the incidence of sexual disease. CDC and others work with health authorities to target the most “at risk” communities, but until there are meaningful federal programs for help and prevention in this area I fear this is going to be a continuing theme of this blog for months and years to come.

Nov 30, 2011

Researchers from the Universities of Utah and Massachusetts have successfully identified a gene which appears to regulate the frequency of HSV-1 herpes cold sore outbreaks.

The research, by Dr John D. Kriesel and colleagues, elaborated on previous research on a group of 43 large Utah families which had identified a group of six genes within chromosome 21 which were associated with HSV-1 herpes. The precise role of the gene remains unclear, but its discovery paves the way for more widespread research across a wider spectrum of the population.

The implications of this research are that future drugs may be more accurately formulated and targeted. Future studies may also determine whether this or another related gene has an association with HSV-2 genital herpes.

The propensity of genes to determine the likelihood of pediatric infectious diseases, including herpes simplex encephalitis, was initially discovered by Professor Jean-Laurent Casanova. His research findings have revolutionized medical and immunological research. In 1999, with Dr. Laurent Abel, Prof. Casanova co-founded the Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases.

This year, Prof. Casanova received the Inbev-Baillet Latour Health Prize for his pioneering work in the field, together with a research grant of 250,000 Euros.

Nov 28, 2011

Could the herpes virus HSV-1 hold the key to a cancer cure?  That is the unlikely possibility which has been thrown up by research in Ohio.  The research team used the virus to develop an oncolytic virus named 34.5ENVE.  This engineered virus was injected into mice infected with glioblastoma, a virulent type of brain cancer in humans.

Against a control sample of infected mice injected with an older oncolytic virus, the mice treated with the altered herpes virus were tumour free after 80 days, while the control sample survived for only between 20 and 53 days.

The oncolytic virus is designed to replicate in cells with high levels of nestin, which is a protein present not only in glioblastoma, but also prostate, pancreatic and breast cancer.

Much research is still needed before it is established if the virus is safe for human trials.

Nov 23, 2011

Back in June of this year, Herpes News reported the accidental discovery in South Africathat a vaginal gel of 1% tenofovir, designed to inhibit HIV infection, produced a 51% reduction in HSV-2 herpes infection.

Now another joint study by Gilead Sciences Inc, (manufacturer of tenofovir), the University of Rome and the Leuven Catholic University of Belgium has produced very similar results.

Quite apart from the fact that this gel could dramatically reduce HSV-2 and HIV infections, it gives power to women to take control in situations where men have been and often continue to be reluctant to take responsibility for infection control by the use of condoms.

It remains the case that women are particularly prone to HSV-2 infection and that black women are particularly vulnerable.

Online black community magazine, BET.com reported: “not all women feel comfortable or safe demanding their male partners to use condoms. Albeit being in an abusive relationship, being economically dependent on your partner, or not feeling empowered to talk about condom use, this power dynamic definitely plays a factor in the HIV rates among Black women. The good news is that microbicides can offer women discreet protection that they control in order to protect them from HIV and herpes.”

It is not clear when tenofovir vaginal gel will be approved by the FDA for use in the United States.

Nov 15, 2011

Ever an advocate of what is fresh and natural in the world of nutrition; I always advocate the use of organic fruit and vegetables whenever that is possible. Today I want to explain why I believe that is so important to your health.

Between the years 2000 and 2009, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) carried out tests on 53 popular varieties of fruit and vegetables in the United States with a view to discovering the presence and quantity of toxins in non-organic produce available on sale. Among the alarming facts revealed was that in a sample of 700 apples, 98% contained traces of pesticides, with most containing a minimum of two types of pesticide. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirms that no less than 36 varieties of pesticide are commonly used in the commercial production of apples.

The story doesn’t begin and end with apples. Among the top ten polluted fruits and vegetables were blueberries (in spite of all the publicity about how good this fruit is for you, it came second in the top ten of polluted produce!), celery, grapes and spinach. So why are these popular and wholesome fruit and vegetables treated with toxins?  The simple answer is so that they can be mass-produced as cheaply as possible. By treating crops with pesticide there is less wastage and more produce per acre.

In the twenty first century we have been conditioned into believing that most foods are cheap and plentiful. The truth is that modern farming methods can produce cheaper fruit and vegetables but that this comes at a price which you may consider too high to pay. That price is not in dollars and cents. It is in terms of your continuing good health.

You can scrub inorganic fruit and vegetables to remove some toxins. You can remove the peel – but because much goodness is found in the peel of most fruits and vegetables that is a little self-defeating. And even washed, scrubbed and peeled produce, particularly soft fruits, will have absorbed some of those toxins into their flesh.

Pesticides are designed specifically to kill living organisms – they simply cannot be healthy to ingest, and are suspected of causing cancers, hormonal imbalance and nervous system problems in humans.

I can’t and won’t pretend that organic produce isn’t dearer to buy – though you can seriously consider growing your own – but if the extra price gives you the security of knowing that your body isn’t taking in unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals, then I say it is a price worth paying.

Nov 8, 2011

Sayer Ji, founder of the website GreenMedInfo.com claims that many proprietary brands of selenium and multi-vitamin supplements are making use of an inorganic and potentially dangerous form of selenium. Pointing out that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified both sodium selenite and selenate as dangerous and toxic, he argues that their presence in vitamin supplement tablets on general sale to the public is harmful and that their continued use is permitted only to appease pharmaceutical giants who produce these supplements, such as Wyeth’s Centrum, singled out for criticism by Ji.

 Ji claims: “The selenium that is found in foods like Brazil nuts, mustard seeds, and fresh produce grown in selenium-rich soil is infinitely different from the biologically inert forms being put in some multivitamins. In fact, i.e., sodium selenite/selenate can cause cancer, whereas the selenium found within food, or laboratory chelated forms like selenomethionine have all been shown to prevent and combat cancer.”

 Centrum’s own website contains the statement: “Centrum vitamins are derived from synthetic source ingredients. Vitamin and mineral supplements can be "synthetic", derived through chemical processes or "natural", derived directly from plants or other materials. There is no evidence that the body absorbs vitamins and minerals derived from natural sources more effectively than "synthetic" vitamins and minerals.”

 I always advocate the use of organic foods and supplements wherever possible. You can choose to believe what the pharmaceutical companies say or you can take the view that their wallets have more influence than their ethics.

Oct 28, 2011

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has settled a long-running dispute with Indian generic drug manufacturer Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd, over an alleged infringement of the former’s patent on herpes treatment Famvir®.

Judge James E. Boasberg signed a dismissal order after both sides in the dispute testified that they had come to an agreement. Details of the agreement are not currently in the public domain.

The implication is that Macleod may now produce its generic herpes drug, permitting a more affordable version of famciclovir, the generic version of Famvir® to reach a wider audience within the Indian sub-continent.

Famciclovir is indicated in the treatment and suppression of recurrent HSV-2 genital herpes as well as acute herpes zoster (shingles).

Oct 25, 2011

As British interest in sentencing for crimes of violence and criminal damage is heightened by the recent riots in London,Manchesterand elsewhere, 28-year-old traffic patrol officer David Golding of the UK Highways Agency, was recently jailed last August for 14 months after admitting causing his former girlfriend Grievous Bodily Harm.

Did Golding beat her? Did he attack her with some weapon? No. Golding’s crime was to infect Cara Scott (24) with genital herpes.

Within two months of the start of their relationship, Scott was diagnosed with HSV-2 and confronted Golding, who denied responsibility, claiming he had been tested negative by a clinic where he had undergone a herpes test. This, he later admitted, was untrue.

A spokesman for Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service, which oversees all criminal prosecutions in the UK said the case was in line with its policy regarding “intentional or reckless transmission of infection” policy. But spokesman for the Herpes Viruses Association, Nigel Scott, called the sentence “outrageous”, likening it to the prosecution of children for passing chicken pox to their friends.

Dr Colm O’Mahoney of the Chester Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine commented: “Being sent to prison for passing on herpes simplex is like being sent down for ten years for a parking offence. I’m appalled.”

It is notoriously difficult to ascertain exactly how any individual contracts genital herpes without concrete evidence of dates of sexual encounters and comprehensive blood testing, so even though Golding pleaded guilty in court I’m not sure (although I have not seen all the evidence) that the case was even adequately proven.

Of course I don’t think it’s right for anyone not to disclose genital herpes to a sexual partner, but I do agree that a prison sentence like this is disproportionate to the offence, if indeed the offence was really committed. I wonder if we’ll be seeing an appeal any time soon.

Oct 21, 2011

Thirty years ago, it was reported that five gay men in Los Angeles were infected with a rare type of pneumonia, peculiar to patients with compromised immune systems. The world wasn’t quite ready for the epidemic that was to follow. In the intervening decades, some 750,000 Americans have lost their lives to AIDS and more than 1.1 million are known to be living with HIV.

In August 2011, the Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) released data showing that the number of HIV infections in the US had been relatively stable between 2006 and 2009 but that the incidence of infection among gay men had increased. In its recent report, the CDC admits that while recent scientific research has equipped medicine with an unprecedented number of infection-preventing methodologies, the challenges presented by HIV infection remain “daunting” with approximately 50,000 people becoming infected with AIDS each year in the United States alone.

Factors in the spread of HIV include a range of social, economic and demographic factors and the CDC’s HIV prevention strategy aims to target the most resources to the neediest communities. Currently the highest risk groups include gay and bisexual men, African Americans and Hispanics, which is not to say that heterosexual men and women of all races are not at risk, particularly intravenous drug users.

It has also been established that people infected with HSV genital herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases can be more at risk of contracting HIV because their other condition(s) compromise their immune system making them more susceptible to the HIV virus. A part of the CDC strategy therefore consists of the testing of more people in high risk communities for other sexually transmitted diseases.

By targeting and prioritizing the largest “at risk” groups in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, CDC aims to maximize the effectiveness of its strategy, stating: “To make a substantial difference in new infections, priority should be placed on interventions that are practical to implement on a large scale, at reasonable cost. More time and resource-intensive interventions….should be reserved for people at the very highest risk of transmitting or becoming infected with HIV.”

Oct 14, 2011

Today I want to talk about a hardy, summer-flowering, sweet-scented plant called Valerian. Why would I want to diversify into botany? Well although the plant can be beautiful in itself, its root can be processed into a dietary supplement known to have sedative effects.

Many women write to me saying that although they haven’t experienced a herpes outbreak for years, as they get older they once again seem to suffer regular outbreaks every couple of weeks or so. As I’ve often emphasized before, stress can be a major factor in herpes outbreaks, but so can lack of sleep, and it’s no coincidence that with the menopause comes hormonal change – often the cause of both stress and insomnia.

A recent study by the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Universityof Medical Sciences,Tehran took a sample of 100 post menopausal women aged between 50 and 60 years who were experiencing lack of sleep. Divided randomly, half the sample was administered 530mg of concentrated valerian extract twice daily. The remaining half was delivered a placebo.

Almost one third of the women given valerian (30%) reported improved patterns of sleep, giving credence to this supplement’s efficacy in aiding sleep.

If you’re affected by sleeplessness you could consider trying a valerian supplement. Just a warning, though, of some possible side-effects you may experience. An earlier study (1991) of valerian found it could cause vivid dreams in some patients. Additionally for a very few people, valerian seems to work as a stimulant rather than an aid to sleep. Other reported side-effects of valerian use include headache, dry mouth and morning drowsiness.

If you find that valerian affects you adversely then clearly you should cease using it and in the unlikely event of more serious side-effects you should consult your physician.

In my twenties, I used valerian to help me sleep. I found it most useful when combined with hops. Hops seemed to do little on their own, but enhanced the sedative effect when combined with valerian . I find this combination most effective to prevent insomnia.

Sleep deprivation will increase your chances of experiencing herpes recurrences. That's why I believe the temporary use of these herbs could be most useful to help you prevent herpes if you tend to suffer from mild or occasional insomnia.

Oct 4, 2011

Although the Epstein-Barr herpes virus infects about 95% of the population, it normally lies dormant for life and causes no ill effects whatsoever. But in patients with a weakened immune system, the story can be very different, and EB can lead on to cancer and other autoimmune diseases.

In spite of some dubious sites you may see on the internet offering miracle cures, as with other varieties of herpes virus, there is no cure for EB. Its symptoms may be alleviated by rest and many holistic remedies are thought to be useful. But once you have the virus, you have the virus.

Now researchers at the University of Copenhagen believe they have discovered a means of regulating one of the body’s receptors which seems to play a part in the spread of EB infection. It has been observed that when the EB virus has penetrated, an excess of a receptor known as EB12 suddenly sprouts from the surface of B cells.

So far, nobody has figured out why this happens, but whatever the reason it seems to be a part of the process of spreading the EB herpes virus. The Danish team developed a tiny molecule that they believe is capable of binding to the EB12 receptor and inhibiting the disease-spreading process.

Lead report author, Tau Benned-Jensen says: “In time this block may be able to help transplant patients. If we can restrain EB virus reproduction when the immune system is being medically suppressed, we may well be able to avoid cancer."

Sep 28, 2011

Vaccine adjuvant company Isconova AB and vaccine developer Genocea Biosciences have recently announced the expansion of a collaboration to develop vaccines for six infectious diseases, including HSV-2 herpes, and Chlamydia. The lead program will be that for herpes.

The new collaboration agreement allows Genocea to use Iscovena’s Matrix M™ additionally in vaccines targeting malaria and gonorrhea.

Genocea CEO Chip Clark said: “A safe and effective adjuvant that elicits strong B and T cell immune response is essential to our aim to prevent or treat the world’s most intractable infectious diseases. For that reason we are delighted to expand our collaboration with Isconova for Matrix M.”

Iscovena CEO Lena Söderström commented: “We are pleased that …Genocea has selected Isconova's Matrix M™ for use in two additional diseases, thus confirming the strengths of our products. All the targeted diseases of the collaboration have high unmet medical needs and therefore significant commercial potential.”

Sep 20, 2011

Hungary is one of the few European countries to have banned genetically modified food crops in their entirety. So when it was discovered that some maize had been accidentally planted using GM seed, the Hungarian government ordered one thousand acres of it to be ploughed back into the land before its pollen could spread and potentially contaminate other crops.

Genetically modified food crops have been causing controversy world wide since the introduction by the giant American agricultural biotechnology company Monsanto of seed trials in the US,UK and elsewhere back in the 1990s.

Since then there has been conflicting and contradictory evidence about adverse health effects on humans. By means of extensive lobbying and political pressure by Monsanto and others, many crops both in North America and Europe are grown from genetically modified seed, producing yields resistant to the most widely used herbicide, “Roundup” which is manufactured by – yes you guessed – Monsanto.

But the unwanted side effects of these GM crops are not just limited to any known or unknown consequences to human health as a result of their consumption. There is evidence that many weeds are now resistant to Monsanto’s “Roundup”, possibly because of cross contamination from GM food crops. So the enforced experiment may finally be backfiring on those who set it up.

I advocate a diet containing as much natural, organic produce as possible and “Roundup” treated crops certainly don’t fit that profile. I don’t believe that GM crops of any kind do either. You can find arguments for and against GM crops but ultimately I believe there has to be some kind of payback for messing with nature to this extent. It could be harmful health effects or it could be the choking of perfectly good food crops by “super weeds.” Either way, I’m with Hungary on this one.

Sep 15, 2011

B3C Newswire reports that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track status to German pharmaceutical AiCuris GmbH’s drug Letermorvir, aimed at the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)

HCMV, which is a variety of herpes virus, is particularly harmful to HIV positive individuals and those with a lowered immune resistance for a variety of reasons, including organ transplant.

FDA fast track status is reserved for treatments with the potential to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and demonstrating the fulfilment of a previously unmet medical need.

Ai Curis CEO, professor Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff said she hoped this would facilitate the eventual regulatory process for Letermorvir, currently undergoing Phase II trials and has already received approval for safety. Test results for efficacy are anticipated by the end of 2011.

Click for more info

Sep 12, 2011

It’s been estimated that as many as one in five of the world’s sexually active women may be infected with genital herpes along with about one in nine men. By now that figure will probably no longer shock or surprise you. The argument for practicing safe sex has been repeated over and over by those who “pick up the pieces” in the medical profession as well as victims of herpes and other STDs. All too often, however, advice seems to fall on deaf ears.

So here’s a figure that just might shock you a little. A recent request in the UK under Freedom of Information legislation, revealed that nearly one thousand children, some as young as 11 years old, have been treated for herpes, Chlamydia, genital warts and other sexually transmitted diseases in British clinics over the past three years.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted recently by the Co-operative Pharmacy (UK) interviewed 3,000 people and showed that one in three admitted having unprotected sex with a new partner while on holiday. Reasons cited were predominantly an excessive intake of alcohol and poor availability of condoms.

The Family Planning Agency added its weight to the safe sex message, a spokesman commenting: “Investment in sexual health services pays off and spending on sexual health services should be sustained.”

Government budget cuts are hitting just about everyone worldwide, but can it really make sense to “save” money in key areas like this when in reality the health spend on the consequences can be so very much higher?

Sep 3, 2011

MedivirAB, Swedish-based producer of HSV-1 herpes treatment Xerese™ has negotiated a much-needed boost to its fortunes by giving Meda full rights to sales of the prescription drug in the United States, Canada and Mexico in return for a $45 million cash injection. Under a previous agreement, Meda marketed the product and producer Medivir returned a percentage royalty on sales. The patent originator for Xerese is the giant AstroZeneca who will also see a return on the deal.

Meda also gains exclusiveUSrights to develop Xerese as a HSV-2 genital herpes treatment and should this application be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then Medivir will receive a further $10 million payment. Medivir will continue to receive a royalty payment on US sales and retain full commercial rights outside of the United States.

Medivir’s stock market value had seen a dramatic fall since July in the Swedish stock market, but now seems to be recovering following this renegotiation.

Aug 29, 2011

Scientists in Sweden have confirmed that a new strain of the gonorrhea bacterium is resistant to antibiotics. This strain of Neisseria gonorrhea, classified as HO41, was first discovered in Japan.

Dr Magnus Unemo of the Swedish Research Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria described the findings as “alarming and predictable”. The predictability of gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases becoming resistant to treatment with antibiotics has been all too apparent in recent years with the over use and over prescription by some physicians of the “catch all” antibiotic seen by many as the answer to just about every medical situation.

The Mayo clinic warns: “If antibiotics are used ...for things they can’t treat – like colds, flu and viral infections – they become less effective against the bacteria they’re intended to treat..”

What was initially and correctly seen as a “wonder drug” with the discovery of penicillin is becoming less and less effective as antibiotics are misused and bacteria become “smart” at resisting their use.

Research continues into newer and more effective antibiotics, but it’s time also to stop thinking of antibiotics as “first aid” in treating every minor ailment known to mankind. Most coughs, sore throats and ear infections are viral – untreatable with antibiotics – and yet antibiotics still seem to remain the first port of call far too often.

Meanwhile, gonorrhea remains one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world, with 50% of women and a far smaller proportion of men exhibiting no symptoms whatsoever. If left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to serious complications for women as well as men.

Dr David Livermore of the Health Protection Agency (UK) says: "Prevention is better than cure, especially as cure becomes harder, and the most reliable way to protect against STIs - including resistant gonorrhea - is to use a condom with all new and casual partners."

Aug 26, 2011

In a belated attack of common sense, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to come down hard on US internet sellers purporting to offer a “cure” for herpes.

The move is aimed at removing products such as Medavir, Herpaflor, Viruxo and C-Cure from the American market. Richard Cleland, assistant director of advertising practices at the Federal Trade Commission said: “We have reviewed the claims on the websites and have found them to be extremely problematic.” He added: “When it comes to health products, the internet can be a toxic wasteland for consumers.” read more

Aug 16, 2011

How would you like to join me in a good, healthy(?) glass of malic acid, sucralose, potassium citrate and a few coloring agents – all diluted with very pure water, of course?

Has she gone mad, I hear you ask?

Well no. My advice is to stay well clear of such a toxic cocktail. What has happened is that consumerism has gone mad and some very big companies have spotted their opportunity to jump on a fast-moving bandwagon. The ingredients above all form part of the latest craze for adulterated water from Kraft Foods MiO liquid water enhancer. Well you couldn’t make up a more ridiculous term than “liquid water enhancer” if you tried.

If it were not so potentially harmful it would be downright funny. But where is the keenest market for a brightly colored, pleasantly fragranced sweet beverage? You’ve got it in one – KIDS!

I have strong doubts about the safety of adding even fluoride to the domestic water supply and my thoughts about some artificial sweeteners and other food additives are well publicized. So to bring all these things together in brightly colored packaging and advertise it on prime time television begins to make my blood boil. I can’t even begin to think how all these colors and additives may affect an outbreak of herpes that you’re trying to keep under control.

Even the amount of additives per drink is not limited. Kraft’s own advertising states: “Add a little or a lot”. Well here’s my final word. Add this junk product to your banned list. If you have kids make sure you don’t let them near it and if you can find the time, why not write to the FDA and complain that the product is even available.

Aug 6, 2011

San Diego based Vical is working with the University of Washington School of Medicine and Sealy Center for vaccine development (University of Texas) on the development of an HSV-2 genital herpes vaccine, Vaxfectin® aimed primarily at people already infected with HSV-2 with the aim of eliminating or reducing active outbreaks of herpes lesions.

Initial trials of the vaccine had already indicated a degree of success, and that is backed up by the latest research update presented at the Washington DC BIO convention on June 28. Executive VP of product development, Alain P. Rolland PhD confirmed tests had shown a significant reduction in HSV-2 lesions displayed by guinea pigs in clinical trials of the vaccine.

Hitherto, HSV-2 vaccine research and development has centered on the prevention of infection, but Vical’s innovative approach, using DNA delivery technology to interfere with the shedding of virus in patients already infected may produce a safer and more cost-effective treatment method than current antiviral drug regimens.

Vaxfectin is a lipid based adjuvant which was first developed for use with DNA vaccines, notably against influenza. In simple terms an adjuvant is an additive which although not directly active itself, stimulates the body’s immune response to virus infection and enables the active ingredient to work in new ways.

Aug 4, 2011

You’ve heard me bleat before about how herpes research seems to be all about the profits of the big pharmaceutical companies and keeping their shareholders happy with little regard to those who are at the “sharp end” of research – those whose lives are sometimes literally torn apart by herpes.

Well now a Global Strategic Business Report has been released about just how profitable the herpes “market” is right now. And guess what? I’m not going to get apoplectic and rant about shareholder dividends vis-à-vis global suffering. Instead I’m going to take a look at the positive side of all this. It still grips me to talk about herpes and market in the same breath, but I guess we have what we have in Western society and unless we have a taste for revolution we’re just going to have to deal with it.

You can download the full report if you have a spare $4,500 to spend. I hope you’ll forgive the fact that I relied on a synopsis for my research.

So here’s the good news as I see it. According to the report, the main factors in the growth of this “market” are as follows:

* Rapid rise in cases of herpes infection - currently estimated at 4.0 billion worldwide

* HSV virus becoming resistant to current antiviral treatments

* Unwanted side effects of current herpes drug treatments

So how is this good news? Well it means that the main thrust for the future will be in the research and development of new treatments, including the elusive search for an effective vaccine. None of the big pharmaceutical companies is ready to roll over and submit to its competitors right now, so with an estimated $4.8 billion herpes market at stake by the year 2017, I think we can settle down to watch the battle of the giants. We’ll see the usual run of promising research and not-so-promising research. We will probably witness some more takeovers and mergers in the pharmaceutical jungle and it’s a racing certainty there will be financial casualties along the way.

But putting aside profits, shareholdings and the like, it will ultimately be to the benefit of herpes victims, and that can only be a good thing. I’ve never kidded myself into believing any pharmaceutical company is motivated primarily by altruism or philanthropy. But should I let this get in the way of wanting, like every other herpes sufferer, a cure for this curse? No. I should welcome the fact that publicity for this Global Strategic Business Report may just hasten the advent of the day when this blog is redundant and herpes is a thing of the past.



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