Herpes Testing Blog

Eyebrow waxing is a very popular procedure, and many women consider it to be critical to their beauty needs.

This seemingly necessary beauty treatment can also have negative consequences.

The poor sanitary practices in many spas, such as re-dipping the wax stick, can spread different diseases, such as eye herpes. There is a direct link between an increase of eye herpes and eyebrow waxing.

The herpes virus could easily be transmitted from one person with herpes, getting their lips waxed, to the next person, who doesn’t have herpes, who may be getting some waxing done.

There are simple sanitary procedures that should be followed to prevent the spread of herpes.

Technicians should wash their hands. Every time a wax stick is placed on a clients skin, it should be thrown away directly after use. Also, if the was treatment requires the client to lie down, the table should be covered prior to use.

There are approximately 500,000 cases of ocular herpes each year in the U.S. This cannot be cured, and thus can lead to blindness.

Symptoms of ocular herpes include tearing, redness, blurry vision, eye discomfort and sometimes a thick, sticky mucous secretion.

This article has the point of dispelling some common myths about genital herpes, and also of  spreading the news about prevention.

Herpes is a very common virus: the CDC estimates that as many as 45 million people ages 12 and older are infected with genital herpes.  This is about one in five adolescents and adults.  This means that it is very likely that you or someone you know have this virus.

Many people that have genital herpes may not know that they have it because they either have very mild symptoms or they mistake the symptoms – such as painful urination in women – for another condition such as a yeast infection.

Just by taking some simple precautions, including using a condom and taking anti-herpetic medicine, you can protect yourself and your partner from getting the virus. Another way, possibly the most effective way, to prevent herpes (or any other STD) transmission is for you and your partner to be tested and known to be uninfected.

What is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which can invade the body through a crack in the skin or through the mucosa of the mouth or genital areas. Signs of a HSV-2 infection are usually one or more blisters on or around the rectum or genitals. When the blisters eventually break, they leave tender ulcers or sores. Those can take two to four weeks to heal after the first breakout. Typically future breakouts will be less severe and have a shorter healing time.

Viral activity tends to decrease with time. This means that as time progresses, somebody with herpes will have less frequent and less severe outbreaks.

Did you know?

Genital herpes can spread whether or not there are symptoms present or if there have never been signs or symptoms.
Herpes is likely to be spread 3-5 days before a breakout.
Having genital herpes can make you two to five times more susceptible to HIV infection.
Condoms do not fully protect you against HSV-2 because the virus can infect areas not covered by the condom.
Even if you are not having a herpes outbreak, you may still “shed” the virus.

How can you protect yourself and your partner?

Abstinence is the only 100 percent effective way to ensure against the spread of any STD including genital herpes. Herpes can also be spread without the presence of signs or symptoms. Condoms act as a physical barrier against the spread of the virus, but they are only effective at protecting the area that it covers, which is probably not the only part of you that is coming in contact with your partner when you are having sex.

There are also over-the-counter as well as prescription medicines that one can take to suppress the frequency and severity of the outbreaks.  In doing so, they also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus. If you are interested in this, the best thing to do would be to ask you doctor about your options

Because such a high number of people are unaware that they are infected with genital herpes, testing for herpes is the best way to determine your status. A long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected is one of the best ways to remain disease-free.

*For the original article, please refer to http://www.hivtestingblog.com/original-articles/

The Michael Jackson is being sued by Erle Bonner over the theft of his herpes cure.  He claims that Jackson gave his formulas for “herpes cure, acne cures and arthritis cures” to a guy named Kevin Trudeau, also a defendant, who allegedly pilfered them.

Bonner also claims  that someone shot at his house and that they were part of the Jackson family.

Bonner filed his suit today in L.A. County Superior Court and in it, also claims that Jackson stole nine copyrights from him, and he also stole the idea for an automobile insurance policy that “would revolutionize insurance for cars in America.”

For the complete article, please refer to http://www.herpestestingblog.com/original-articles/

“People are very shy talking about it,” he says on the line from his Sunshine Coast home. “They suffer feelings of shame, guilt, of feeling dirty….For some people, having herpes can feel like having leprosy.”

There are several varieties of the virus, like herpes zoster (chicken pox and shingles) and human-papillomavirus, one of the most common sexually transmitted viral infections. Then there is herpes simplex, which can cause sores around the mouth or in the genital area. The last type affects nearly one-quarter of American adults, according to this month’s issue of the University of California, Berkeley’s, Wellness Letter, and about 500,000 new cases occur each year. And it’s genital herpes that causes the most anguish.

“The psychological or emotional impact is worse than the physical effects,” Scipio says. “For people who are in relationships with someone who’s not infected, the stress of potentially infecting a partner is a prime trigger for outbreaks.

“One of my clients is a 17-year-old girl who got herpes from her first boyfriend. She’s completely traumatized. That’s the last thing you want to deal with when you’re just starting your sex life….I’m sad to report that a large number of people are now celibate or cut back on their social lives because of having herpes.”

According to Health Canada, genital herpes is most commonly spread during sex by direct contact with open sores. That includes oral sex, from cold sores on the mouth. Once you have herpes, you are infected for life. Symptoms include tingling or itching around the genitals within a week of having sex with an infected partner. That’s followed by the appearance of a cluster of tiny blisters that burst and leave painful wounds for as long as three weeks. The first outbreak often comes with or is preceded by flulike symptoms such as chills and fever. Once the sores heal, the virus retreats to nerve cells and stays dormant until the next attack.

According to the Wellness Letter, it’s not clear why the virus reemerges: “Many people believe that emotional stress brings on attacks of both genital and oral herpes, and there’s some evidence to support this.”

Scipio subscribes to the theory that stress can trigger outbreaks, a phenomenon he sees as one of virus’s positive aspects.

“It’s a very good barometer; it’s a warning sign when you’re out of balance,” he says. “If you’re not in balance, you’ll have problems. So having herpes forces you to eat healthily, to deal with stress in a constructive way, and to examine your lifestyle. It forces you to stay away from caffeine, cigarettes, too much sugar and processed foods; things you should be staying away from anyway.”

He also says he believes the virus can have a beneficial effect on your personal life. “It’s a litmus test for who really cares about you,” Scipio says. “If you’re in a relationship and you tell them you have herpes, if all of a sudden they aren’t interested anymore–or if they are still interested–it’s affirmation of their desire for you.”

Having the virus also forces carriers to be honest and to practice safe sex, he notes, adding that with a few precautions, herpes doesn’t mean people can’t have good sex lives. Using a condom is vital, even when there are no visible sores, but the areas of the skin, including the anal area, that aren’t covered by a condom aren’t protected, Health Canada states.

There’s no cure, but treatment can shorten attacks and reduce the pain of the sores.

Conventional treatment involves taking prescription antiviral drugs like Zovirax (acyclovir), Valtrex (valacyclovir), and Famvir (famciclovir). They help promote healing and suppress future outbreaks. According to a new study published in the January 1, 2004, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, taking valacyclovir every day can cut the transmission of genital herpes by as much as 48 percent. GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures the drug, sponsored the study.

Taking daily medication for a year or more is an approach known as suppressive therapy. The Wellness Letter states that suppressive therapy keeps herpes from recurring in 60 to 90 percent of people. “These drugs have been extensively studied and appear to be very safe, with few side effects, even if taken for years,” it says.

Scipio disagrees, arguing that prescription drugs can have side effects worse than the illness they’re supposed to fight. When he starting taking pharmaceuticals years ago, he found himself experiencing migraine headaches for the first time in his life. Scipio says antivirals do have a place in herpes treatment, particularly among those who have just been diagnosed and need some time to adjust to the shock, but he notes the drugs are costly, as much as $200 a month.

He has developed a protocol consisting of herbs and homeopathic agents that he claims is effective and inexpensive. Each client’s regimen is different, but he generally suggests combining internal and topical remedies. The most common herbs he uses include lemon balm, olive leaf, and desert parsley. He sometimes incorporates Bach Flower Essences, which he says can help people deal with emotional strain. While Scipio is convinced, many conventional health professionals would likely argue that the efficacy of herbal substances to treat herpes isn’t proven, and that just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe.

Scipio offers regular clinics around the Lower Mainland, including in Vancouver (on the 14th of every month). He also offers an on-line clinic which he says appeals to many because it’s private. (For details, go to his Web site at www.natropractica.com/.)

Although Scipio understands people’s desire for secrecy, he hopes that will change.

“I counsel people to make peace with the disease,” he says. “I encourage people not to be ashamed and to have the courage to speak out, to not feel like a leper.”

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine based on data from a trial of an experimental HSV-2 vaccine that ultimately failed found that consistent use of condoms can lower both women’s and men’s risk of contracting the virus that causes genital herpes.

The study of more than 1,800 adults considered at high risk of genital herpes because they’d had either an STD or four or more sexual partners in the past year, found that those who said they usually used condoms were one-quarter less likely to test positive for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) than those who usually had unprotected sex.

Overall, just over 6 per cent of the men and women became infected with HSV-2 during the 18-month study period. The findings provide one more reason to use condoms consistently, however, it’s important for people who know they have HSV-2 to avoid sex when they are having a symptom outbreak.

Teresa Dillon was surprised to learn four years ago that what she deemed as an average sore throat actually was stage 2 cancer on her tonsil.

“People think the face of oral cancer is a 70-year-old man who’s been chewing tobacco and drinking whiskey all his life,” she said. “But the face of oral cancer now is — it’s me, a young woman, healthy, nonsmoking, fit.”

But what really shocked the waitress and then 38-year-old was that the human papillomavirus may have caused her illness, a illness that is often sexually transmitted.

“It was a virus that caused my tumor, the HPV virus, which just knocked me over,” Dillon said.

The HPV Cancer Connection

Dillon is part of a new trend that’s puzzling scientists. While most HPV infections clear on their own, there is an alarming surge of oral cancers linked to the virus.

Johns Hopkins researchers reported in a study published in February in the Journal of Clinical Oncology that between 1973 and 2004 the incidence of HPV-related oral cancers among people in their 40s nearly doubled. Today more than 34,000 people have oral cancer and 39 percent of those cases are related to HPV, according to data from the American Cancer Society.’

“These are patients that are young. They are in their 30s and 40s. They are nonsmokers, and they don’t drink alcohol excessively. And every time we look we are able to find HPV-16 in their tissue, in the biopsy specimen,” said Dr. Robert Haddad, a Dana Farber Cancer Institute head and neck surgeon.

High-risk HPV strains cause cancer by using special proteins to disrupt healthy cells. It makes cells unable to repair themselves and unable to control how they are duplicated.

The virus is transmitted by direct contact. You only get HPV in the location it attaches to, so it never travels through the bloodstream.

So just exactly how it gets in the mouth may stun you.

“There is absolutely a link between oral sex and oral cancer,” said Dr. Ellen Rome, of the Cleveland Clinic.

Although no proof exists yet, there is a chance that HPV can be transmitted mouth to mouth.

“We can’t rule out the virus could be transmitted in saliva by other types of contact — like for instance sharing a drink or sharing a spoon,” said Dr. Maura Gillison, of Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

And once the virus is in your mouth, you can’t just wash it out. The only way to get rid of it is extensive drug treatment.

For them complete article, please refer to ABC News.

New research helps explain why infection with herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), which causes genital herpes, increases the risk for HIV infection even after successful treatment heals the genital skin sores and breaks that often result from HSV-2.

Scientists have uncovered details of an immune-cell environment conducive to HIV infection that persists at the location of HSV-2 genital skin lesions long after they have been treated with oral doses of the drug acyclovir and have healed and the skin appears normal. These findings are published in the advance online edition of Nature Medicine on Aug. 2.

Led by Lawrence Corey, M.D., and Jia Zhu, Ph.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Anna Wald, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Washington, both in Seattle, the study was funded mainly by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) with support from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, both part of the National Institutes of Health.

“The findings of this study mark an important step toward understanding why HSV-2 infection increases the risk of acquiring HIV and why acyclovir treatment does not reduce that risk,” says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “Understanding that even treated HSV-2 infections provide a cellular environment conducive to HIV infection suggests new directions for HIV prevention research, including more powerful anti-HSV therapies and ideally an HSV-2 vaccine.”

One of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide, HSV-2 is associated with a two- to three-fold increased risk for HIV infection. Some HSV-2-infected people have recurring sores and breaks in genital skin, and it has been hypothesized that these lesions account for the higher risk of HIV acquisition. However, recent clinical trials, including an NIAID-funded study completed last year, demonstrated that successful treatment of such genital herpes lesions with the drug acyclovir does not reduce the risk of HIV infection posed by HSV-2 . The current study sought to understand why this is so and to test an alternative theory.

“We hypothesized that sores and breaks in the skin from HSV-2 are associated with a long-lasting immune response at those locations, and that the response consists of an influx of cells that are a perfect storm for HIV infection,” says Dr. Corey, co-director of the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Institute at The Hutchinson Center and head of the Virology Division in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington. “We believe HIV gains access to these cells mainly through microscopic breaks in the skin that occur during sex.”

The research team took biopsies of genital skin tissue from eight HIV-negative men and women who were infected with HSV-2. These biopsies were taken at multiple time points: when the patients had genital herpes sores and breaks in the skin, when these lesions had healed, and at two, four and eight weeks after healing. The researchers also took biopsies from four of the patients when herpes lesions reappeared and the patients underwent treatment with oral acyclovir. The scientists continued to take biopsies at regular intervals for 20 weeks after the lesions had healed. For comparison, the investigators also took biopsies from genital tissue that did not have herpes lesions from the same patients.

Previous research has demonstrated that immune cells involved in the body’s response to infection remain at the site of genital herpes lesions even after they have healed. The scientists conducting the current study made several important findings about the nature of these immune cells. First, they found that CD4+ T cells—the cells that HIV primarily infects—populate tissue at the sites of healed genital HSV-2 lesions at concentrations 2 to 37 times greater than in unaffected genital skin. Treatment with acyclovir did not reduce this long-lasting, high concentration of HSV-2-specific CD4+ T cells at the sites of healed herpes lesions.

Second, the scientists discovered that a significant proportion of these CD4+ T cells carried CCR5 or CXCR4, the cell-surface proteins that HIV uses (in addition to CD4) to enter cells. The percentage of CD4+ T cells expressing CCR5 during acute HSV-2 infection and after healing of genital sores was twice as high in biopsies from the sites of these sores as from unaffected control skin. Moreover, the level of CCR5 expression in CD4+ T cells at the sites of healed genital herpes lesions was similar for patients who had been treated with acyclovir as for those who had not.

Third, the scientists found a significantly higher concentration of immune cells called dendritic cells with the surface protein called DC-SIGN at the sites of healed genital herpes lesions than in control tissue, whether or not the patient was treated with acyclovir. Dendritic cells with DC-SIGN ferry HIV particles to CD4+ T cells, which the virus infects. The DC-SIGN cells often were near CD4+ T cells at the sites of healed lesions—an ideal scenario for the rapid spread of HIV infection.

Finally, using biopsies from two study participants, the scientists found laboratory evidence that HIV replicates three to five times as quickly in cultured tissue from the sites of healed HSV-2 lesions than in cultured tissue from control sites.

All four of these findings help explain why people infected with HSV-2 are at greater risk of acquiring HIV than people who are not infected with HSV-2, even after successful acyclovir treatment of genital lesions.

“HSV-2 infection provides a wide surface area and long duration of time for allowing HIV access to more target cells, providing a greater chance for the initial ’spark’ of infection,” the authors write. This spark likely ignites once HIV penetrates tiny breaks in genital skin that commonly occur during sex. “Additionally,” the authors continue, “the close proximity to DC-SIGN-expressing DCs [dendritic cells] is likely to fuel these embers and provide a mechanism for more efficient localized spread of initial infection.” The investigators conclude that reducing the HSV-2-associated risk of HIV infection will require diminishing or eliminating the long-lived immune-cell environment created by HSV-2 infection in the genital tract, ideally through an HSV vaccine. Further, they hypothesize that other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may create similar cellular environments conducive to HIV infection, explaining why STIs in general are a risk factor for acquiring HIV.

Step One

 People who use condoms regularly can reduce their risk of getting genital herpes by 30 percent, a new study finds. The herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) causes genital herpes, which is a chronic, lifelong viral infection. Although studies have found that regular condom use reduces the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, whether they prevent the transmission of HSV-2 has been less certain, the researchers noted.

“Condoms work for herpes,” said study author Emily T. Martin, a postdoctoral fellow with the Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute. “Even though the decrease is smaller than you would see with some other STDs, the evidence from previous studies has been unclear whether using a condom to prevent getting herpes was going to be effective, but this shows that it is,” she said.

Using condoms reduces herpes transmission by only 30 percent because, unlike other STDs, herpes is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, Martin explained. “Transmission has a lot to do with where the virus is being shed at the time,” she said. “If someone with herpes is shedding virus for an area that is not covered by a condom, we speculate the virus will spread whether or not they are using a condom.” The study is published in the July 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

For the study, Martin’s team looked at data from six HSV-2 studies that dealt with the effectiveness of condoms in preventing herpes. The studies included 5,384 men and women who did not have herpes when the studies began. During the follow-up period, which ranged from 12 to 19 months, 415 people had contracted the herpes virus. But people who used condoms 100 percent of the time reduced the risk of catching the virus by 30 percent, the researchers found.

In addition, the risk of getting herpes was reduced 7 percent “every additional 25 percent of the time that condoms were used during anal or vaginal sex,” the researchers wrote. The risk of getting herpes increased with the frequency of unprotected sex, and there was no significant difference between men and women in the effectiveness of condoms in preventing herpes transmission, they add.

Martin said using a condom not only reduces the odds of getting herpes, but of other STDs as well. “If you don’t know the STD status of your partner, a condom is always a good idea,” she said. Dr. Jeffrey D. Klausner, director of STD Prevention and Control Services at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said the study provides more evidence that condoms work.

“We know condoms can prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections like HIV, herpes, warts, hepatitis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis, but it’s always been hard to show that in research studies,” Klausner said. “If condoms can hold air and water, I never understood why folks thought they would not prevent the spread of germs, which are much, much larger than air or water molecules,” he said.

Klausner said that the study provides scientific evidence that condoms work and should help in efforts to get condoms into the hands of sexually active teenagers and adults.

For the full article, please refer to http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/628978/main.html

If you have noticed small, flat, flesh colored bumps on your genital area then you may have genital warts. Sometimes these warts will disappear on their own, but they need to be monitored by your doctor. These warts are caused by HPV or the human papillomavirus, and it is sexually transmitted. You can get rid of these warts if you have the right genital warts treatment.

If you suspect that you have genital warts it is very important that you see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she can help you develop the best treatment plan for you and your specific situation. Using an over the counter wart remover is not an option because this medication is too caustic to the sensitive skin of the genital area. Remember that these warts are caused by a virus and there is a chance they will come back after being removed.

There are several genital warts treatment options available. Your doctor can opt to remove the warts by freezing them. This is called cryotherapy and can be done in the doctors office or clinic. Lasers are also used to remove genital warts. There are specific chemicals that your doctor may use to dissolve the warts. In some cases, you may have to have a surgical procedure. This is called a LEEP procedure, and it involves taking a sharp instrument that is shaped like a loop and scraping the wart off the skin. Alternatively you can try a specialist natural ingredient genital warts treatment.

After you have your genital warts treatment is it important that you learn to take good care of yourself. Since these warts are caused by a virus you need to get healthy so your body will be able to fight off any future wart outbreaks. It is also critical that you do not have unprotected sex when you have genital warts.

Genital warts treatment is necessary to keep the warts from growing and spreading. It is best if you discuss treatment options with your doctor.

For the full article, please refer to http://ethorities.com/genital-warts-treatment-facts-that-will-help-you

In the event that you have genital herpes and your partner doesn’t, you still have some excellent options when it comes to protection.  A condom should always be your first line of defense, though its shortcomings are a little more noticeable when it comes to herpes.  Genital herpes tends to have outbreaks around the entire genital area, and a condom, while it helps, doesn’t offer full coverage.  So you still need to be careful.  If he’s hesitant about performing oral sex, then a dental dam might also come in handy.  Dental dams offer more coverage than condoms, as they cover the entire genital area.  If you don’t have a dental dam, try using saran wrap, or cutting a condom lengthwise before placing it on your genitals.  Sure, it seems awkward, but it’s nothing a good talk beforehand won’t solve – fully clothed.  You don’t want to spring this sort of thing on your guy when you’re already rolling around in the haystack.

It’s a good idea to seek treatment for genital herpes as well.  Studies have shown that taking a Valtrex regimen to treat herpes can not only reduce the severity of the outbreak, it can also reduce the likelihood of transmitting the virus to your sexual partners by up to 50%!  If you don’t want to go to a pharmacy, you can also buy generic Valtrex online.  Remember, though, that 50% is still only 50% — it’s important to take other precautions as well.

Use your own judgment to make sure that you’re fully covered.  Beyond physical contact, you don’t need to worry about spreading herpes in any other way.  The virus can only live for a few seconds outside of a human body, so transmission through clothing, a toilet seat, or bed sheets is highly unlikely.  Taking Valtrex or other anti viral medications can make accidental transmission even less likely, but you should still be wary of sharing drinks during a cold sore outbreak.

Congratulations!  You’ve finally decided to stop being ashamed of your genital herpes and address the issue straight on.  Lucky for you, you have some excellent options when it comes to treating genital herpes.

Valtrex is a drug specifically designed to attack herpes straight on.  It has three main uses.  Valtrex works wonders on cold sores, helps prevent outbreaks of genital herpes, and treats herpes Zoster, also known as shingles.  Valtrex is safe for almost anyone to use, except in a few specific cases.  If you’re pregnant, have a weak immune system, or suffering from a kidney problem, ask your doctor before taking Valtrex.  He may prescribe a lower dose, or an alternate medication.  If you’re allergic to acyclovir, you shouldn’t take Valtrex either.  If you’re currently taking probenecid or cimetidine, your doctor may also recommend a lower dosage.  Other than that, though, Valtrex is the perfect solution to your herpes problem.  Valtrex is available with a prescription at your local pharmacy, and generic Valtrex is readily available online.

As soon as you feel that slight tingling sensation on your lips, where you know you’re about to get that nasty looking cold sore, that’s when you know it’s time to break out the Valtrex.  The earlier in the outbreak you take them, the better and more efficiently it works.  That’s why it’s important to have a supply of Valtrex available, even before you feel your next outbreak coming on.  Take 2 grams of Valtrex two times in that first day, and you have a good chance at killing that cold sore before it even comes to the surface.

For genital herpes, you take the full regimen, twice a day for ten days (meaning you need a total of 20 1-gram pills), the first time you have an outbreak, because the first outbreak is usually the most severe.  After that, the next time you feel an outbreak coming on, take two pills, twice a day for three days (a total of six pills), and you can usually pre-empt any future outbreaks.

For more information, please refer to http://www.pro-medics.com/

If you suffer from genital herpes, then it’s possible you’re also suffering from erectile dysfunction.  Though there are no clinical studies that prove a link, there are certainly documented cases of herpes causing impotence in psychological ways.  Your body might psychosomatically cause erectile dysfunction if you’re anxious, or worried about transmitting herpes.  The mental anguish you’re going through can easily present itself with physical or physiological symptoms.  Fear of transmitting genital or oral herpes to your partner could cause a temporary dysfunction.

There are three basic steps you need to take to successfully engage in sexual intercourse while having a genital herpes outbreak.  First and foremost is the protection of your partner.  You absolutely must use a condom.  A condom doesn’t always offer full protection, but covering the genital warts on your penis is definitely the first step towards healthier sex.

Second, you need to treat the genital herpes directly.  There are many medical solutions to herpes available, and probably the best is Valtrex.  You can buy generic Valtrex online, as well.  Valtrex’s biggest advantage is that in addition to treating herpes, it also minimizes the risk of transmission to an uninfected partner.  These two solutions can help put you at ease, which would definitely give your performance in bed a positive boost.  Talk to your doctor about possible allergies or side effects, but Valtrex is safe for the majority of the population.  If you’ve never had an allergic reaction to a drug in the past, then it’s probably ok for you.

Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, you can treat the erectile dysfunction directly.  Drugs like Viagra, Cialis or Levitra can give you a quick boost if you’re experiencing a little performance anxiety.  Sometimes all it takes are a few drug assisted successful performances in bed to get your self esteem up, and your anxiety back in line.

For the complete article, please refer to http://www.pro-medics.com/

Oral or genital herpes can be a nuisance to live with, but you may not be aware that it can also put your life at risk.  People with genital herpes need to be doubly careful about contracting HIV, the virus that can lead to AIDS, because of their body’s increased risk of exposure.

If you have open herpes sores, you are much more likely to become infected with HIV during sex, so you have to be careful.  HIV can be transmitted through semen, vaginal fluid, or blood, which means that if any of those come in contact with an open genital wart or cold sore, you run an extremely high risk of infection.

If you have herpes, and you suspect that your sexual partner might have HIV, then you should seriously consider getting yourself tested, either in a clinic, or with at at home HIV test.  It’s probably a good idea to go for the HIV test even if you don’t have herpes, if you suspect your partner might have HIV.

Having HIV together with herpes can wreak havoc on your body.  The effects of one can intensify the effects of the other.  Herpes can quicken the path from HIV to AIDS by encouraging the virus to replicate more quickly.  HIV also has an effect on herpes, and can lead to harsher herpes outbreaks, occurring more often.  An HIV stricken immune system simply can’t fight off herpes efficiently.

Treating genital herpes usually means going to your pharmacy to buy valtrex (or buying generic valtrex online), but having HIV can complicate matters.  If your HIV test shows that you’re positive, you may need to seek out alternatives in your herpes treatment.  The drug Foscavir, or a Vistide gel are possible alternatives to Valtrex treatment, especially if your HIV has made the herpes resistant to standard antiviral drugs.

For the complete article, please refer to http://www.pro-medics.com/

Finding out you have genital herpes can be a bummer.  But it doesn’t have to spell the end of your social life!  Dating and herpes don’t have to be mutually exclusive.  Many people are out there actively dating with genital or oral herpes.  Here are some ways for you to deal.

Make sure to tell your partner before things get hot ‘n steamy.  Sometime towards the end of the second date is usually a good time for these sorts of disclosures.  Don’t wait until you’re already rolling around under the covers!  It’s very important to understand that when you tell him you have herpes, you’re not confessing anything – you did nothing wrong.  You have herpes, what’s the big deal?  It’s a simple condition, that’s very easily kept under control.  80% of the US population already has some sort of herpes, and most of them don’t even know it!  Keep in mind that the likely situation here isn’t that you have herpes and he doesn’t – it’s more like you know about you’re condition, and he’s less informed.  Knowledge can be an advantage!

If your partner is freaking out because of some silly virus, it might be a good idea to have HIM tested.  Chances are, he’s positive for herpes, or possibly something even more serious.  Either way, he’ll be assured that you’re together in the same boat, and possibly better informed about his own health (and so will you!).  Remember, if you’re testing for herpes, he needs to get tested at least 16 weeks after his last sexual encounter (which might also be a second date disclosure).  If you find out that you both have herpes, then it’ll at least make a great bonding experience – you can go together to the pharmacy with your Valtrex prescriptions, or sit at your computer and buy generic Valtrex online!

Reporting the results of a study published in the Lancet, GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) said Tuesday that its human papillomavirus vaccine Cervarix was effective not only against HPV strains most likely to cause cervical cancer but also other strains of the STD.

The subjects of the late-stage trial were 18,644 females ages 15 to 25. They included females with evidence of past or current HPV infection or high-grade Pap smear results, plus others with no evidence of current or previous HPV infection. Case subjects received Cervarix; control subjects received hepatitis A vaccine. The shots were administered at baseline, one month and six months.

The trial sought to test the efficacy of Cervarix against HPV types 16 and 18, the strains most likely to result in cervical cancer. Women who received all three doses of the HPV vaccine achieved 92.9 percent protection. Excluding some lesions not likely caused by HPV types 16 or 18, GSK said the vaccine provided 98.1 percent protection against those strains. In addition, the researchers noted evidence that Cervarix was protective against HPV types 31, 33, and 45. GSK said this was the first time any HPV vaccine evidenced significant protection against precancerous lesions caused by other HPV strains.

Cervarix is already in use in the European Union and many other nations. A decision by the Food and Drug Administration on whether to approve the vaccine for use in the United States could come by autumn.

The report, “Efficacy of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-16/18 AS04-Adjuvanted Vaccine Against Cervical Infection and Precancer Caused by Oncogenic HPV Types (PATRICIA): Final Analysis of a Double-Blind, Randomized Study in Young Women,” was published in the Lancet (07.07.09; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61248-4).

For the complete article, and more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, please refer to http://www.cdcnpin.org/.

The World Health Organization has approved GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) Cervarix, paving the way for UN agencies and partners to buy the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for poor countries worldwide.

Certain HPV strains are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. Of the 280,000 cervical cancer deaths globally, more than 80 percent occur in developing countries. Screening and treatment programs have dramatically reduced the disease’s incidence in developed countries.

Last year, GAVI, formerly known as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, made purchasing cervical cancer vaccines for the world’s 73 poorest countries a priority. GAVI, comprising the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UN agencies, and the World Bank among others, is a major buyer of vaccines for the developing world.

Though it has not been approved for use in the United States or Japan, Cervarix is available in 97 other countries. The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide whether to approve Cervarix in the coming months. Currently, the only HPV vaccine available for the US market is Merck & Co.’s Gardasil. Cervarix has won more contracts from government health programs beyond the United States.

Both vaccines typically cost around $360 for a three-shot dose. It is not clear whether GSK will discount Cervarix for distribution in poor countries.

For the complete article, and more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, please refer to http://www.cdcnpin.org/

What do you call a condition that’s widespread in humans and often symptom-free, yet can lead to cancer? Dangerous.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as one in four women are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV), and the numbers are rising, especially among young women.

Some HPV types can cause genital warts. Other HPV types can cause cancer in the genital area. But most people who have HPV don’t know it, because the virus often has no signs or symptoms. Because of this, the virus can spread without any parties involved becoming aware of its transmission.

According to the CDC, about 20 million Americans are infected with HPV. Another 6.2 million Americans become infected each year. About 74 percent of new infections occur in 15- to 24-year-old men and women.
“It is very prevalent,” said Diana Gaviria, Health Officer for the Berkeley County (W.Va.) Health Department. “We see women from their mid-teens up through their 30s being diagnosed, and I’d say that most of them are women in their teens and 20s.”

The CDC predicts more than half of all sexually active men and women will become infected at some time in their lives. “HPV is such a common virus that anyone who is sexually active can come in contact with it and become infected,” Gaviria said.
According to CDC, HPV is only transmitted through sexual contact. However, intercourse is not necessary because it can be transmitted with any kind of genital contact with someone who has HPV. The virus is not found in bodily fluids.

For the complete article, please refer to http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=226664&format=html

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) can infect the eye and sometimes causes so much damage that the person’s cornea must be replaced with a transplant. (The cornea is the clear covering of the front of the eye that helps focus light for vision.) Doctors knew transplants were more likely to fail in people with HSV than in patients with other disorders, such as keratoconus, an abnormal steepening of the cornea.

This higher failure rate occurred even when HSV infection did not appear to be active in patients. Researchers at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, theorized that such patients might have corneal inflammation that could not be detected upon clinical examination but might increase the risk of transplant rejection.

Unlike organ transplants, in corneal procedures the new tissue is placed on a bed of existing tissue. Though HSV had been inactive for six months before surgery in 81 percent of patients, microscopic evidence of inflammation was found in 74 percent, and the transplant failure rate did indeed correlate with the presence of this biomarker.

“It is also possible that treating inflammation intensively before corneal transplant surgery would reduce the risk of rejection,” said Dr. Roni M. Shtein, MD, MS, cornea specialist and lead author of the report.

For the full article, please refer to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090701082702.htm

Pro-medics.com, the online pharmaceutical company, announced their sales addition of the new herpes medication, Generic Valtrex. This innovative drug treatment has just recently become FDA approved for the prevention and treatment of Genital Herpes.

Valtrex is an anti-viral medication that has been medically proven to treat both cold sores and shingles, as well as shorten the length of Herpes treatment time.

Ralphe Rowe, Company Product manager explained, “Unfortunately, Genital Herpes has been currently increasing in appearance amongst the American public, involving a series of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms.” “Pro-medics online is proud to offer its customers a discreet and medically effective solution to treating the virus.”

Pro-medics online, offers its clientele free anonymous phone consultations, providing customers with live medical advice and support. This unique form of customer service alleviates the requirement of a prior prescription or potentially embarrassing visit to the doctor.

Pro-medics pharmaceuticals is known for offering its customers first rate service and quality medications at highly discounted prices. The company therefore stocks the preferred generic version of Valacyclovir, otherwise referred to as Generic Valtrex. Generic Valtrex is just as effective as its name brand counterpart, only it’s available at less than half the original drug’s price.

Regarding this decision, Pro-medics President of Sales, Sarah Tenne, explained “Our Company places an emphasis on bringing its customers quality drugs at discount prices. We see no reason for product quality to come at the expense of customer affordability”.

About Pro-Medics
Pro-Medics.com is an online pharmacy website, offering customers popularly prescribed prescription drugs. Pro-Medics also specializes in erectile dysfunction and diet pills, offering a full line of both popular brand name medications as well as their discounted generic counterparts.

For the complete article, please refer to http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/07/prweb2610284.htm.

Cold sore is troublesome and has the potential to irritate a person beyond limits. Although, there are many medications available in market for curing cold sore, it usually takes a long time to get cured completely.

There are many home remedies available to cure the cold sore and can be used at the preliminary stage of the infection which hinders the spread and growth of the infection.

Cold sores growth and development is required to be hindered down by introducing some minor changes in the diet. Vitamins and other supplements can also be added in the diet to enhance the healing process.

The few effective remedies which are known to cure at a faster pace are described here for your knowledge.

Application of ice on the cold sore is by far known to be the most effective home remedy. Take one ice cube and wrap in a netted cloth and then press on the infected area. Ice, if used at the preliminary stage of the infection, hinders the further growth of the infection by decreasing the rate of metabolism of the affected cells. It also provides the soothing effect and reduces the itching and the irritation. Put ice on the sore for two minutes at the interval of five minutes.

Another very effective home remedy is to apply lemon or aloe vera balm extract or tea bags on the cold sore. It also restricts the growth of the viral infected cells and provides the soothing and cooling sensation on the infected area.  Coffee consumption should also be reduced as it is known to intensify cold sore growth.

For the full article, please refer to http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/blog/home-remedy-to-treat-cold-sore/

ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2004) — Tampa, FL (Sept. 22, 2004) — The compound in marijuana that produces a high, delta-9 tetrahydrocannbinol or THC, may block the spread of several forms of cancer causing herpes viruses, University of South Florida College of Medicine scientists report.

Once a person is infected with herpes, the viruses can remain dormant for long periods within white blood cells before they burst out and begin replicating. This reactivation of the virus boosts the number of cells infected thereby increasing the chances that the cells will become cancerous.

The USF team found that this sudden reactivation was prevented if infected cells were grown in the presence of THC. Furthermore, the researchers showed that THC acts specifically on gamma herpes viruses. The chemical had no effect on another related virus, herpes simplex-1, which causes cold sores and genital herpes.

Small concentrations of THC were found to be more potent and selective against gamma herpes viruses than the commonly used antiviral drugs on the market.

It was emphasized that more studies are needed. “We have not evaluated the effect of THC in an animal model yet so we do not recommend people start using pot to prevent or treat cancers.”

In fact, Dr. Meveczky said, THC has also been shown to suppress the immune system so smoking marijuana could “do more harm than good” to patients whose immune systems are often already weakened.

The findings, published Sept. 15 in the online journal BMC Medicine, could lead to the creation of antiviral drugs based on nonpsychoactive derivatives of THC.

For the complete article, please visit http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/09/040923092627.htm

Pap smear checks for cell changes in the cervix and will determine if a woman has an infection, or has abnormal or unhealthy cells, that can be cancerous in nature. Early detection of cancer cells will save a woman’s life and if caught at the early stage, treatment can be applied and the chances of curing it are possibly greater.

Women over 18 years of age are advised to have a regular pap smear. Even women who are not sexually active and have gone through menopausal stage need to get Pap tests. It is vital to have Pap smear as a routinely health care to detect and prevent any instances that will lead to a more risky illness.

On rare cases, a Pap smear may indicate the presence of damaged cells that have been infected with the Herpes Simplex Virus type 2. At this point however, Pap smear tests are not reliable as a test for Herpes virus detection.

The accuracy of Pap test in detecting Trichomonas (a sexually ¬transmitted vaginal infection), Candida (yeast) or large amounts of bacteria, usually Gardnerella (the most common bacteria normally found in the vagina). Pap smear test involves a sample from the vaginal discharge while PCR or viral culture will involves scraping off of a tissue out of the skin lesions in sores and blisters during an outbreak.

Whether Pap smear shows the genital herpes infection, it is extremely important to prevent the risk of getting infected. When the lesions are present during an outbreak, avoid touching the sores because it is highly contagious at this time and to avoid spreading the virus to other parts of the body.

For the complete article, see http://www.forces-of-nature.net/topics/herpes/Will_Pap_Smear_Show_Genital_Herpes.htm

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that is caused by types 1 and 2 of the herpes simplex virus and is extremely contagious and cause painful sores on the genitals and the area surrounding it that can last for weeks without treatment of any type.

It can be spread through skin to skin contact, but mainly is prevalent on the mouth or genitals; as other skin on the body is too thick for the virus to get through. Type 1 is spread by kissing, since it is oral herpes, but it is also spread when oral sex is performed, but turns into genital herpes for the other person. Type 2 is spread through sexual contact, having sexual intercourse, anal or oral sex.

To prevent yourself from getting either form of highly contagious herpes, you should not have any type of contact with a person with an outbreak of herpes. This can include cold sores, blisters, and sores on the genitals. If your partner has oral or genital herpes, do not have sexual contact with him or her when an outbreak is present.

Type 2 of the herpes simplex virus, (genital herpes), is not able to live on a non-living surface, such as a toilet seat, hot tub, or bathtub. Therefore, it is not possible to contract herpes from any of those objects. The virus that causes herpes is very delicate and it cannot live long or at all on such surfaces. It requires skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluid contact through sexual encounters in order to live and multiply.

Everyone who is sexually active has the possibility of getting herpes. The risk of getting it increases with age and with the number of partners. It is always best to talk to a partner and know their sexual history and to get tested before getting involved sexually.

For the complete article, see http://www.micronutra.com/journal/herpes/can-you-get-herpes-from-a-toilet-seat

The death of Farrah Fawcett after her long and courageous battle with anal cancer has saddened all of those who loved her.

Anal cancer is closely related to the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is the virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer. This does not mean that Farrah had a history of sexual promiscuity; it just means that like many Americans, she was exposed to the virus at some point in her past.

Approximately between 45 and 90 percent of all caners of the anus are caused by the HPV virus. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. Approximately twenty five percent of females in the United States are infected with the HPV virus, however only a small fraction of these women will develop anal cancer.

For the complete article, see http://www.examiner.com/x-12106-Charleston-Family-Health-Examiner~y2009m6d28-More-on-Farrah-Fawcett-Anal-Cancer-and-HPV

Scientists have discovered a new way for our immune system to combat the elusive virus responsible for cold sores: Type 1 herpes simplex (HSV-1). A group of virus hunters from the Université de Montréal have identified a cellular process that seeks out and fights herpes.

“Once human cells are infected with Type 1 herpes simplex, the virus comes back because it hides and blocks protection from our immune system,” says Luc English, the study’s lead author. “For the first time, our research team has identified a combative cellular mechanism in this game of hide-and-seek.”

The team made its discovery while conducting various tests in HSV-1 infected mice cells.

The research team plans to study how activation of the herpes-combating cellular process could be applied to other illnesses. “Our goal is to further study the molecules implicated in this mechanism to eventually develop therapies against diseases such as HIV or even cancer,” says English. Treatment options might be imaginable in a decade.

“Now that we’ve identified the novel mechanism in cells that activate immune response to Type 1 herpes simplex, scientists are one step closer to creating new treatments that can activate the defense against this and other viruses,” says Dr. Desjardins. “While it may not be possible to completely eradicate Type 1 herpes simplex in people who are already infected, at the very least, future therapies may be able to keep the virus in its dormant state.”

For the complete article, see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090323112058.htm

Men who are circumcised are less likely to get sexually transmitted infections such as genital herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV), but not syphilis, according to a study of adult African men published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In a previous study, the same research team found that adult circumcision could reduce the risk of HIV infection.

Efforts to increase the practice of male circumcision in areas with high rates of sexually transmitted infections, including Africa, could have a tremendous benefit, say the study’s authors. Genital herpes has been associated with an increased risk of HIV, and HPV can cause genital warts as well as a higher risk of anal, cervical (in women), and penile cancers.

Roughly three-quarters of U.S. adults have had at least one HPV infection, according to an editorial by Matthew R. Golden, M.D., and Judith N. Wasserheit, M.D., both of the University of Washington. Although vaccines against some of the most dangerous HPV strains have been approved for girls ages 13 to 26, the vaccines are expensive and routine Pap tests are still necessary to pick up cervical cancers.

It’s not clear why circumcision may affect infection rates. But the study authors suggest that penile foreskin may provide a moist, favorable environment for herpes and HPV to survive and enter cells on the skin’s surface. Once the foreskin is surgically removed, the risk of infection may be reduced.

They also note, however, that male circumcision is not completely effective in preventing sexually transmitted infections. Safe sex practices, including consistent condom use, are still necessary to provide the best protection.

For the complete article, please see http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/26/healthmag.circumcision.hpv.herpes/index.html?iref=newssearch.

Many Americans know that cold sores are caused by a herpes virus. But few understand the relation between oral herpes and genital herpes. Also confusing is whether herpes on the lip or mouth can be transmitted to the genital area.

There are several strains of herpes virus. Herpes simplex virus Type 2 is the strain associated with genital herpes. Many cold sores, on the other hand, are caused by herpes simplex virus Type 1. But Type 2 can also cause sores on the mouth, and Type 1 can spread to the genitals.

The types are closely related, and they usually lie dormant in nerves near an infection site until emerging on the skin during an outbreak, often preceded by tingling, itching and pain. Soap and water kills the virus fairly easily, so washing is a good way to help keep it from spreading.

Herpes is transmitted primarily by skin-to-skin contact when the infection is active, but carriers can also transmit the virus when they have no noticeable symptoms — and many do not.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Cold sores can cause a genital infection and vice versa.

For the complete article, please refer to http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/19/health/19real.html?pagewanted=print&position=.

Doctors at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine have tested a gel that when applied topically in the vagina, may help prevent infection by both H.I.V. and herpes simplex virus.

The effectiveness of the gel, called PRO 2000 and made by Indevus Pharmaceuticals, was shown in a pilot study of 20 H.I.V.-infected women.

The study found that the gel significantly reduced virus levels while causing no inflammatory response, and a new study is under way to determine whether the gel causes any other side effects

A much larger study of  the gel has been financed and is to include more than 3,000 women.

Researchers have long sought such a treatment, and they want to be sure that “whatever drug makes it to the market will be safe.”

For the complete article, see http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9F00E3D71E3DF93BA35750C0A9639C8B63&scp=2&sq=herpes%20gel&st=cse.