In scientific tests it was found that the shedding period for asymptomatic carriers was a little over half that of [...]]]> A recent study into HSV shedding carried out by the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center confirms earlier findings that the HSV-2 virus can and does shed among asymptomatic carriers.

In scientific tests it was found that the shedding period for asymptomatic carriers was a little over half that of people showing herpes symptoms over an extended time period between March 1992 and April 2008 (10.2% as against 20.1%) This relatively high incidence may be accounted for by the fact that asymptomatic shedding tends to occur frequently after herpes outbreaks.

The study further noted that the presence of lesions accounted for 43% of days of viral shedding among subjects displaying herpes symptoms and 16.4% of days in asymptomatic subjects. It’s not very clear how lesions can be present in patients who are asymptomatic, but the conclusion seems to be that these are people who displayed herpes symptoms but failed to recognize them as such. Still, there is more than two and a half (2.62) difference between both results.

The study’s authors note: “Most HSV-2 infections are acquired from persons without a clinical history of genital herpes.” When this stark statement is taken in context with the fact that about one in every six Americans aged 14-50 is infected with the virus, the seriousness of the problem becomes more and more clear.

The study advocates broader self-education into the early signs and symptoms of herpes infection and takes into account the fact that different people experience different symptoms at different times and with different severity. This is something I have been advocating for many years, and I’m delighted that a serious scientific survey has reached the same conclusion.

There are many factors around herpes that science does not yet understand. Why is it that some people shed the virus more readily than others? How much of the virus is necessary to cause infection? Hopefully we may grow to understand herpes more fully in the future, but what is clear right now is that the only surefire way to understand whether or not you have the HSV-2 virus in your body is to undergo a medical test.

Researcher Beth Tronstein told Medscape Medical News, “[people] who are sexually active, who are concerned about sexually transmitted diseases, may want to be tested for HSV-2”

Dr Peter Leone, from the University of North Carolina said the research underlined the need for broader serological testing for HSV-2 and a cohesive plan for control and management of the disease throughout the United States.

I think it is a good idea as people who are aware of carrying the virus tend to be much less likely to transmit it than others.

You can read more about how is genital herpes spread and how to prevent herpes transmission by clicking on these links.

 Suing for sexual battery, infliction of emotional distress and fraud, the [...]]]> In yet another herpes lawsuit, this time filed in Los Angeles County Court, an unnamed plaintiff accuses an “A-List Celebrity” of deliberately infecting him (or her) with the virus after a night of sex and drug-taking in the star’s Las Vegas hotel suite.

 Suing for sexual battery, infliction of emotional distress and fraud, the complainant claims that the couple discussed sexually transmitted diseases and each told the other they were free of infection. The plaintiff also claims to have “been in a monogamous relationship for years”.

 The lure of the unnamed celebrity’s alleged 100 million dollar net worth, however, clearly proved too much, as this previously loyal person (we are not told if male or female) proceeded to engage in drug taking and a variety of sexual activities, which were allegedly recorded by both parties on their mobile phones.

 The fairy tale came to an end for the complainant when s(he) discovered s(he) had contracted herpes from his/her new celebrity lover, causing him/her “physical pain, anguish, shock and humiliation.”

 Call me old-fashioned, but I reckon that a recording of a sex and drug-taking session with a stranger may actually prove to be far more shocking and humiliating – particularly as various porn sites are apparently bidding for the evidence. But perhaps the thought of a multi-million dollar payout is enough to pacify this poor tormented soul.

 Cynical?  You bet I am. Herpes is a serious condition deserving serious comment. Don’t misunderstand me – to have herpes and to fail to inform a partner or worse to deliberately misinform that partner is cruel, dangerous and worthy of contempt.

 But episodes such as this help nobody and just lead people to believe that money can buy anything and everything. I can’t comment on a lawsuit about which I’m not armed with all the facts – but whether it transpires that somebody thought they were too famous to care about a little detail like the truth – or whether it transpires that somebody saw an opportunity to make a few million bucks for a night out – there is a very nasty smell coming out of California right now. It’s the smell of dirty money.

The implication of this new technique for preventing the spread of virus has the potential to revolutionize [...]]]> Paris based Cellectis therapeutics announced last January that a team of scientists had successfully used its Meganucleases to block an HSV-1 herpes infection. This is the first proof that meganucleses can be used to prevent viral infection.

The implication of this new technique for preventing the spread of virus has the potential to revolutionize research into a herpes vaccine.

Dr Marc Labetoulle of CNRS (French National Center for Medical Research) a participating partner, said: “The results published in Molecular Therapy are very exciting since they open new fields of research for fighting HSV recurrent infections.”

Celletics seems to be faced with some patent disputes regarding Meganucleases with another company, Precison though. I hope this will not hinder their progress in this very interesting and promising treatment research.

The Journal of Biological chemistry reports that recent research into lectins found in natural foodstuffs has discovered that these natural proteins that bind to sugars can also bind to infected cells in the body. Lectins extracted from bananas have been found to bind to cells infected with HIV, for [...]]]>

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The Journal of Biological chemistry reports that recent research into lectins found in natural foodstuffs has discovered that these natural proteins that bind to sugars can also bind to infected cells in the body. Lectins extracted from bananas have been found to bind to cells infected with HIV, for example. This is also true of pine cone seed lectins, which additionally appear to have the effect of inhibiting HIV transmission.

Research carried out as long as fifteen years* earlier by an Italian team of scientists from a Rome university had concluded that no less than eleven lectins extracted from natural foodstuffs such as wheat germ and soybean appeared to be effective against the HSV-1 herpes virus as well as other diseases such as rubella and rabies.
*Research in Virology, May-June 1995

In terms of medical research, a fifteen year interval may not be too long, but that’s not quite how it seems when you’re waiting for that elusive herpes cure. You could wait patiently for another fifteen years hoping for a breakthrough – or you could help yourself to keep you and your partner free from herpes by reading Herpes Antidote.

All the above is true. But there is [...]]]> Why is food so much cheaper today than it was in our grandparents’ time? Is it because agriculture is automated and less labor intensive? Or because lots of food is purchased and sold by supermarkets with big purchasing power to keep prices low while remaining competitive?

All the above is true. But there is another, very important factor and that is chemicals.

Pesticides, antibiotics, fungicides and such may have their place in food production. But for me that place is certainly not inside my body!

Toxic pesticides and other chemicals in food can hinder your body’s natural fight against disease and may cause hormonal imbalance. That could lead to more herpes outbreaks over time.

That’s why I recommend you consider switching to organically produced food. It’s a little more expensive, but what price good health?

Chickens are often kept in inhumane conditions, with no room to move. That is a recipe for breeding disease into the birds and into hens’ eggs. So chicken food is treated with antibiotic to minimize disease.

Such chickens and their eggs are often heavily infected with salmonella and the meat and eggs can also carry residual traces of antibiotic. By switching to organic, free-range produce you are not only potentially improving your own health, but you’re helping to make the chickens’ lives better, too.

Much of the meat product we eat comes from animals treated in much the same way as chickens; kept in close proximity, bred for weight and meat yield and therefore not given enough exercise and fed with antibiotics, traces of which can stay in the meat after the animal is slaughtered and the meat cooked.

Vegetables and fruit, too, can carry traces of pesticides and other chemicals. Better to obtain good organic produce whenever possible, but at least fruit and vegetables can be thoroughly washed and peeled before eating.

A wholly organic diet is best for your health, but if your budget is limited, consider switching to organic meat, poultry and eggs as a starting point.

It may be good to know that your food is ‘hygienically’ packaged and because of treatment with pesticides and other chemicals will last a long [...]]]> In today’s consumer society it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that much of the food we eat is processed, artificially preserved and convenience packaged using man-made materials.

It may be good to know that your food is ‘hygienically’ packaged and because of treatment with pesticides and other chemicals will last a long time and not contain any nasty bugs…..can you feel a ‘but’ coming on?

The ‘but’ concerns the use of chemicals which firstly can contaminate our food and secondly, via waste, can end up in our waterways further contaminating our diet. In Britain, for example, it has been found that up to half of all river fish are producing both sperm and eggs due to the ingestion of hormonally supercharged waste products.

The list of potentially harmful chemical products is a long one. For example, chemicals such as phthalates, found in detergents, deodorants and much food packaging are capable of reducing sperm count in males and disrupting the normal testicular descent of male fetuses. Fluoride, found in the US water supply can itself cause hormonal disruption, lower fertility rates and low sperm count.

If you are a woman who suffers from herpes, your immune system, compromised during outbreaks, may be further susceptible to unwanted hormonal interference from these unwanted intruders. You can’t avoid all food and all packaging, but you can take a few steps to minimize the risk of hormonal imbalance.

Try to eat as much organically produced food as possible.
Eat as much raw, fresh food as you can.
Use natural soaps, antiperspirants and cosmetics
Replace Teflon coated kitchenware with natural ceramic or glass cookware.

Eat healthy. Stay safe!

It may be good to know that your food is ‘hygienically’ packaged and because of treatment with pesticides and other chemicals will last a long [...]]]> In today’s consumer society it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that much of the food we eat is processed, artificially preserved and convenience packaged using man-made materials.

It may be good to know that your food is ‘hygienically’ packaged and because of treatment with pesticides and other chemicals will last a long time and not contain any nasty bugs…..can you feel a ‘but’ coming on?

The ‘but’ concerns the use of chemicals which firstly can contaminate our food and secondly, via waste, can end up in our waterways further contaminating our diet. In Britain, for example, it has been found that up to half of all river fish are producing both sperm and eggs due to the ingestion of hormonally supercharged waste products.

The list of potentially harmful chemical products is a long one. For example, chemicals such as phthalates, found in detergents, deodorants and much food packaging are capable of reducing sperm count in males and disrupting the normal testicular descent of male fetuses. Fluoride, found in the US water supply can itself cause hormonal disruption, lower fertility rates and low sperm count.

If you are a woman who suffers from herpes, your immune system, compromised during outbreaks, may be further susceptible to unwanted hormonal interference from these unwanted intruders. You can’t avoid all food and all packaging, but you can take a few steps to minimize the risk of hormonal imbalance.

Try to eat as much organically produced food as possible.
Eat as much raw, fresh food as you can.
Use natural soaps, antiperspirants and cosmetics
Replace Teflon coated kitchenware with natural ceramic or glass cookware.

Eat healthy. Stay safe!

In healthy adults and children, the virus has no harmful effects. If you have it you probably don’t know anything about it [...]]]> I want to say something about cytomegalovirus, more commonly known as CMV.  It’s a common virus, part of the herpes family.  Once it is in your body it is there for life.

In healthy adults and children, the virus has no harmful effects. If you have it you probably don’t know anything about it and never will. So should you be concerned?  Maybe and maybe not, but you should most certainly be aware.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says the virus affects about one in every 150 children born in the USA.  Of those, one in five will have permanent health problems.

How so, if the virus has no effect on healthy children?  Because what the CDC doesn’t mention is that when the virus infects a woman during pregnancy, her child runs a risk of severe disability.

A simple blood test could establish whether a pregnant woman is infected with CMV, yet the procedure is not standard and most women are unaware of any danger and have not heard of the virus.

Dr Tom Bass, neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Norfolk, VA sees between six and eight cases each year.  He says: “part of the impetus for not having universal screening is that the treatment is very poor. You’re not going to reverse the devastating brain effects even if you clear the virus.”

Polly Lynne Matthews is regional president of a virtual support group, trying to get the message to mothers about the potential dangers of CMV infection via social media such as Facebook.

Her son, Liam was born deaf and with cerebral palsy after she contracted the virus during pregnancy.   She says: “When health professionals say it’s rare, I want to scream it from the rooftops.”  She adds: “If someone had only told me.  They take enough blood – just ask for one more test.  People are suffering because they don’t know about it.”