CSULB
students fight herpes through prevention
By Brian Brannon
On-line Forty-Niner
Students
at Cal State Long Beach can contribute to
the future prevention of herpes through
a study sponsored by the National Institutes
of Health.
Renee Twigg, director of the Student Health
Center, said there are 500,000 new infections
and 10 million re-infections of the disease
in the United States each year.
Almost two-thirds of the U.S. population
has herpes simplex virus type 1, or oral
herpes, which can appear as cold sores or
sores on the lip.
The more serious form of the disease, herpes
simplex virus type 2, or genital herpes,
affects approximately 20 percent of the
U.S. population. It is incurable and often
appears as a sore in the genital area.
“It’s one of those infections that really
psychologically affects an individual,”
said Michael Carbuto, chief physician of
CSULB Student Health Services.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 can cause death
in infants if the mother experiences an
outbreak while having the baby. It can also
have serious implications for people infected
with other types of sexually transmitted
diseases, such as HIV or AIDS.
CSULB is one of three universities in the
Los Angeles area participating in a study
to prevent further outbreaks of genital
herpes.
Only women are eligible to take part in
the study, as the vaccine is not effective
in males. However, if the vaccine prevents
women from contracting the disease, it can
also protect their partners, Carbuto said.
Applicants must be healthy, between 18 and
30 years old, sexually active, test negative
for both forms of herpes, have no history
of a hepatitis A vaccine or having hepatitis
A, and be available for 20 months for follow-up
appointments. Compensation is available.
The vaccine was developed by GlaxoSmithKline
Biologicals and requires three injections
over a six-month period as well as the follow-up.
“If a woman does commit to this, she needs
to commit to about 20 months of being in
the area,” Carbuto said.
The vaccine is considered safe and cannot
cause the disease.
“It’s been given to 7,500 people without
any problem,” Carbuto said.
The goal for Student Health Services is
to have 150 people participate in the study,
though more than that number will have to
be screened, as not everyone is eligible.
Half of the participants in the study will
act as a blind control group and receive
a hepatitis A vaccine. At the end of the
trial, participants who receive the hepatitis
vaccine are eligible to receive the herpes
vaccine, and vice versa.
Practicing safe sex will be a large part
of the program as the vaccination will not
protect against other forms of sexually
transmitted diseases.
The downside of the program is that people
who think they are healthy might find out
they have the disease during the screening
process. However, Carbuto believes that
is a good thing.
“We recommend that they do it just because
it protects future partners,” he said.
To participate in the study, contact Clinical
Research Nurse Janet Baker at Student Health
Services for a one-on-one interview at (562)
985-4874.
|
