Active clinical trials for "Herpes Simplex"

The purpose of this observer-blind study is to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals' investigational Herpes Zoster vaccine GSK1437173A when administered as 2 doses or 3 doses to hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) recipients.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), the most common cause of genital herpes, increases a woman's risk of HIV acquisition from 3-6 fold, perhaps because HSV2-infected women have increased numbers of HIV "target cells" (CD4 T cells and dendritic cells) in the cervical mucosa. However, recent clinical trials showed no impact of HSV2 suppression on HIV acquisition rates. The reasons for this negative result are unclear. The investigators propose to examine the effect of valacyclovir (a widely used herpes medication) treatment on cervical immunology and HIV target cells in the cervix. The study will take the form of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Primary endpoints will be (1) the number of CD4 T cells on a cervical cytobrush and (2) the number of immature dendritic cells per cervical cytobrush.

This study will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a heat-treated VZV vaccine in autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected participants with a baseline cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) cell count ≤200 cells/mm^3, participants with solid tumor malignancy (STM; breast, colorectal, lung, or ovarian malignancies) receiving chemotherapy, and participants with hematologic malignancy (HM; leukemia or leukemia-like disease, lymphoma or lymphoma-like disease, or multiple myeloma). The primary hypothesis is that the heat-treated VZV vaccine will elicit significant VZV-specific immune responses measured by either glycoprotein-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (gpELISA) or VZV gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot (IFN-ELISPOT) at 28 days post dose vaccination 4 in, HIV-infected participants, participants with STM, and participants with HM. The primary immunogenicity objective and endpoints were considered by the protocol as exploratory for the autologous and allogeneic HCT groups.

Evaluate, one month after the third dose, the lot-to-lot consistency of 3 different commercial scale production lots of the candidate vaccine in healthy HSV 1-/2- females aged 10-17 years, determined by ELISA. Absence in significant variation for both parameters among the tested lots was hypothesized.

Over 80% of HIV-1 infected persons are also seropositive for HSV-2. Increasingly, clinical and epidemiologic evidence show the role of HSV in increasing HIV infectiousness. The evidence suggests that HSV is an important co-factor in HIV transmission. The trial's purpose is to assess the reduction in HIV systemic and mucosal replication associated with valacyclovir for suppression of HSV-2 reactivation. This randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled crossover trial of 20 HIV/HSV-2 co-infected women assessed the effects of daily valacyclovir on HIV-1 levels in blood and body fluids.

Over 80% of HIV-1 infected persons are also seropositive for HSV-2. Increasingly, clinical and epidemiologic evidence show the role of HSV in increasing HIV infectiousness. The evidence suggests that that HSV is an important cofactor in HIV transmission. The trial's purpose is to assess the reduction in HIV shedding associated with valacyclovir for suppression of HSV-2 reactivation. This proof-of-concept, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled crossover trial of 20 HIV/HSV-2 co-infected men, assessed the effects of daily valacyclovir on HIV-1 levels in the plasma and rectal mucosa secretions.

The University of Washington has received funding to conduct a proof-of-concept trial to assess the impact of suppression of genital herpes on HIV infectiousness. This study (the Partners in Prevention Study) will enroll HIV discordant heterosexual couples in which the HIV-infected partner is co-infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) to test the efficacy of twice daily (bid) acyclovir (400 mg) given to the HIV-infected partner to prevent transmission to his/her HIV negative partner(s). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled proof-of-concept trial will provide evidence for the efficacy of HSV-2 suppression with daily acyclovir on HIV transmission among HIV-discordant couples among whom the HIV-positive partner is also HSV-2 seropositive with CD4 >250. The researchers hypothesis is that, by decreasing the frequency and amount of genital HIV shedding, standard doses of daily acyclovir 400 mg bid will reduce the rate of HIV transmission by 50% in HIV-discordant couples among whom the HIV-infected partner is HSV-2 positive. Under the study protocol version 4.1.1, 3000 HIV-discordant heterosexual couples in which the HIV-positive partner is HSV-2 positive and has a CD4 count >250 will be recruited; participants will be followed for up to 2 years. A 4% per year HIV incidence in the placebo arm is assumed. The first study site began enrolling participants on 17 November 2005. As of September 2006, 14 sites in Eastern and Southern Africa had participated in recruiting the 2300 HIV-discordant couples enrolled to date.

Genital herpes is a long-life sexually transmitted diseases which infects a large proportion of women in Africa. Its clinical symptoms are painful sores on the genitals, which heals after a few days. HIV infection can worsen genital herpes. In turn, it is possible that genital herpes increases the quantity of HIV secreted at the genital level in women infected by the 2 viruses. This study is dedicated to verify this hypothesis.

To obtain tolerance, safety, and pharmacokinetic data for oral valacyclovir hydrochloride ( 256U87 ) in HIV-1 infected children with herpes simplex virus infections ( cold sores ) and/or varicella / zoster virus infections ( chicken pox / shingles ). Varicella and zoster are common problems in HIV-infected children. It is believed that chronic oral therapy with acyclovir may result in subtherapeutic concentrations of acyclovir, resulting in resistance to that drug. Valacyclovir hydrochloride, which converts to acyclovir in the body, increases acyclovir bioavailability by 3-5 fold.

Subjects were recruited who were positive for antibody against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and self-reported having in the previous 12 months 6 or more herpes labialis outbreaks (group A), 1 or 2 outbreaks (group B), or zero outbreaks (group C). Twelve subjects in each group were recruited. Blood was collected from these persons and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated and tested for proliferation in vitro when stimulated with HSV-1-infected cell extracts, free HSV-1 virus, or Candida albicans extract. Candida albicans is a ubiquitous infectious fungus and its extract is used as a test of general immune response. RNA was also isolated from the PBMCs after incubation in the three stimuli and expression of 41 immune-related genes quantified by quantitative real-time PCR. Also serum anti-HSV-1 IgG levels were quantified. After the blood collection on day 1, the persons in group A (frequent cold sore sufferers) were treated with a single topical application of 2% squaric acid dibutyl ester (SADBE) in DMSO, applied to the inner aspect of the upper arm. These subjects returned on days 15 and 57 for blood collection, and their PBMCs were tested again on those dates for proliferation in vitro against the same stimuli and for gene expression and for serum anti-HSV-1 IgG levels.