Sexually Transmitted Diseases  >  Publications  >  Report of the Genital Herpes Prevention Consultants Meeting May 5-6, 1998

Report of the Genital Herpes Prevention Consultants Meeting May 5-6, 1998

Table of Contents

Next

Introduction

H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.
Katherine M. Stone, M.D.
Judith M. Graber, M.S.
 
July 30, 1998

Although genital or anorectal infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the three most common STDs in the United States (with chlamydial infection and human papillomavirus infection), neither DSTDP nor CDC has established programs or recommendations for the prevention of genital herpes aside from those embodied in the STD Treatment Guidelines. New opportunities that enhance the perceived need and prospects for genital herpes prevention strategies include the rising national prevalence of HSV-2 infection, with 22% of the population >12 years old infected in the early 1990s; expanding knowledge about the importance of genital herpes in facilitating sexual transmission of HIV and perhaps in exacerbating the progression of HIV disease; the anticipated widespread availability of type-specific serological tests which may be useful for diagnosis, counseling, surveillance, or screening; evidence that antiviral therapy can prevent subclinical shedding of HSV, raising the possibility that chemotherapy may prevent transmission; promising developments in anti-HSV-2 vaccine research; the medical community’s and the public’s continued and perhaps increasing expectations for prevention recommendations; and improving control of the bacterial STDs, which may create opportunities to address the viral STDs.

Accordingly, DSTDP has initiated activities that will lead to a program and research agenda to address prevention of genital herpes. To this end, 25 external consultants and 21 CDC participants (Appendix 1) met May 5-6, 1998. The meeting was organized around three breakout groups, each of which included experts in genital herpes and the biology of HSV, general STD, epidemiology and surveillance, behavioral science, mathematical modeling, health education, and STD program development and implementation. The three groups focused on five core issues (Appendix 2): Group A addressed 1) the performance and uses of HSV type-specific serological tests; group B discussed 2) the magnitude and burden of genital herpes and 3) prevention of neonatal herpes; and group C addressed 4) prevention of sexual transmission of HSV and 5) interactions between genital herpes and HIV infection. This report is organized around these five core areas, plus two topics that emerged during the meeting: 6) public and provider awareness and knowledge concerning genital herpes and 7) vaccination issues. The discussions from all three breakout groups as well as the plenary sessions are incorporated into each of these sections.

Specific recommendations are denoted with unnumbered bullets. Within each section or subsection, recommendations for actual prevention activities that should be instituted in the near future are listed first and the bullets are diamond-shaped. Other (round) bullets are recommendations for operational research or other program development activities.

Table of Contents

Next