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/

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/

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.

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/

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!

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

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.

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

“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

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.