Herpes Life Line

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Treatment to suppress outbreaks of genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection is typically begun once a recurrence pattern is established, but new research suggests that treatment started shortly after diagnosis can better suppress recurrent outbreaks.

The findings, which appear in the current issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, are based on a study of 384 patients with newly diagnosed genital herpes infection who were randomly assigned receive valacyclovir, also known by the trade name Valtrex, at 1 gram per day, or placebo for 24 weeks. Self-reported outbreaks were confirmed at clinic follow-up visits.

Valacyclovir was effective in preventing disease recurrences, Dr. Kenneth H. Fife, from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues report. After 24 weeks, 71 percent of the valacyclovir-treated subjects were recurrence-free compared with 43 percent of the placebo-treated subjects, a statistically significant difference.

Active treatment also reduced the number of monthly recurrences. On average, 0.11 monthly recurrences occurred with valacyclovir treatment, while 0.48 occurred with placebo.

Valacyclovir therapy was also well tolerated by the patients and a comparable number of adverse effects were reported by both the active-treatment and placebo groups.

Up until now, there were limited data available to guide physicians in how to treat their herpes-infected patients who had no established recurrence history, the investigators note.

They advise physicians to “consider suppressive therapy as another treatment option in newly diagnosed patients, especially in adolescents, those with difficult psychological adjustments, or those who have an uninfected partner and are concerned about transmission.”