New Progress of the genital herpes vaccine research

January 4, 2012, "Science Daily" reported the results in the journal published in "New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), an investigational vaccine can protect some women against two herpes simplex virus one can cause infections of the genital herpes virus.

The vaccine is partially effective in preventing herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, but can not protect women against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Less than half of the women receiving the study vaccine people are infected with HSV-1, than the acceptance of women compared to the control vaccine, a 58% reduction.

HSV-1 and HSV-2 herpes virus family members. Under normal circumstances, HSV-2 cause genital lesions and blisters. HSV-1 usually caused by the sores of the mouth and lips, despite the growing body of research is found, HSV-1 can cause genital disease.

There is no treatment or approved vaccine to prevent genital herpes virus infection, which affects about 25% of women in the United States, is one of the most common infectious diseases. Once inside the body, herpes simplex virus permanently resident stayed. The virus infected women born babies can cause serious nervous system disease and even death, the virus is sexually transmitted HIV risk factors.

Clinical trial of genital herpes vaccine research is carried out by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) at 50 locations in the United States and Canada. The study recruited women between 18 to 30-year-old in 8323 are not infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2. They were randomly assigned to either receive three doses of herpes simplex virus vaccine (developed by GlaxoSmithKline) or to accept one kind of hepatitis A vaccine (control vaccine).

The participants were followed up for 20 months and careful assessment of the occurrence of genital herpes disease. In addition, all study participants underwent blood tests to determine whether asymptomatic HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection occurred during the experiment. The researchers found that two or three doses of vaccine against genital herpes disease caused by HSV-1 provided significant protection. However, the investigational vaccine does not protect women against genital diseases caused by HSV-2.

"We are surprised by the results of these studies," Belshe, Saint Louis University School of Medicine infectious diseases and immunology professor. "We did not think such a herpes vaccine can be one of the herpes simplex virus rather than another. We also found a surprising situation, relative to the HSV-2, HSV-1 causes genital disease for the common cause. "

HSV-1 has become an increasingly common reason to cause infection of genital disease, because more and more couples perform oral sex. HSV-1 and HSV-2 is spread through direct contact - the mouth - the mouth, mouth - genital, genital - genital, even when infected people have no symptoms, Belshe added.

The researchers are laboratory testing of serum of study participants to continue to study why the vaccine can protect caused by HSV-1 rather than HSV-2 genital disease.

Belshe said that a hypothesis is that HSV-1 antibody than HSV-2 easier to kill. This means that the role of vaccine antibodies may work better in HSV-1, a result from HSV-1 rather than HSV-2 of the infection.

Investigational herpes vaccine early studies have shown that it can not infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2 and their sexual partners have genital herpes disease in women to provide protection. The researchers believe that the reason for different results in recent clinical trials may be related to different groups in the study. In an earlier study of women the protective effect may be by the immune or behavioral factors behind this study does not exist.

Scientific discoveries repeated study confirmed that it is very important, which is why we want the vaccine to carry out a large placebo controlled trials, "Belshe said. "Our findings confirm the validity of the scientific process, you must have good scientific evidence to prove that something really useful."