http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington scientists have identified a class of immune cells that reside long-term in the genital skin and mucosa and are believed to be responsible for suppressing recurring outbreaks of genital herpes. These immune cells also play a role in suppressing symptoms of genital herpes, which is why most sufferers of the disease are asymptomatic when viral reactivations occur. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-immune-cells-suppress-genital-herpes.html Immunology Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:01 EST news287236436 Circumcision drastically alters the microbiome of the penis, changes that could explain why circumcision offers protection against HIV and other viral infections. In a study to be published on April 16 in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers studied the effects of adult male circumcision on the types of bacteria that live under the foreskin before and after circumcision. By one year post-procedure, the total bacterial load in that area had dropped significantly and the prevalence of anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in locations with limited oxygen, declined while the numbers of some aerobic bacteria increased slightly. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-circumcision-penis-microbiome-hiv.html HIV & AIDS Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:04 EST news285246002 Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a novel strategy for preventing infections due to the highly common herpes simplex viruses, the microbes responsible for causing genital herpes (herpes simplex virus 2) and cold sores (herpes simplex virus 1). The finding, published online by The FASEB Journal, could lead to new drugs for treating or suppressing herpes virus infections. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-reveals-approach-herpes-infections.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:57:23 EST news283449437 Severe chronic pain associated with conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis often require the use of opioid medication, with the risk of dependency and serious adverse reactions. An alternative treatment strategy increases the levels of a naturally occurring painkiller in and around the nerves that deliver pain signals to the bladder. This new therapeutic approach is described in an article in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-treatment-approach-bladder-pain-herpes.html Genetics Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:03:51 EST news282485022 Following several years of study, investigators have found more evidence that viral therapy to treat solid tumors can be enhanced by blocking the body's natural immune response. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-evidence-blocking-immune-response-viral.html Cancer Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:47:16 EST news282397623 Monash Institute of Medical Research scientists have found a protein in the female reproductive tract that protects against sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) such as chlamydia and herpes simplex virus (HSV). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-protein-link-sexually-transmitted-disease.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:00:08 EST news281280212 Women who are pregnant or using synthetic progesterone birth control injections have a conspicuous vulnerability to certain infections including malaria, Listeria, HIV, and herpes simplex virus. A new research report appearing in the March 2013 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology offers strong evidence for a possible explanation: the progesterone receptor, a pregnancy hormone sensor, targets a part of the immune system responsible for protection against these and other invaders. In addition to helping explain why some women are more vulnerable to certain infections, it also sheds light on why some autoimmune diseases, notably rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, often go into remission during pregnancy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-progesterone-pregnant-women-vulnerable-infections.html Medical research Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:11:23 EST news281272260 A genetically reprogrammed Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cure metastatic diffusion of human cancer cells in the abdomen of laboratory mice, according to a new study published January 31 in the Open Access journal PLOS Pathogens. The paper reports on the collaborative research from scientists at the at the University of Bologna and specifically describes that the HSV converted into a therapeutic anticancer agent attacks breast and ovarian cancer metastases. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-oncolytic-herpes-virus-inhibits-ovarian.html Cancer Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:00:04 EST news278872159 New research suggests that just one or two individual herpes virus particles attack a skin cell in the first stage of an outbreak, resulting in a bottleneck in which the infection may be vulnerable to medical treatment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-unexpected-bottleneck-herpes-simplex-virus.html Medical research Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:12:26 EST news271343524 (HealthDay)—A new vaccination approach may provide protection against genital herpes as well as other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, according to a new study involving mice. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-vaccine-strategy-genital-herpes-mouse.html Medical research Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:16:43 EST news269712996 WHAT: Further analyses of the landmark NIH-funded treatment-as-prevention study (HPTN 052) have found that providing antiretroviral treatment to HIV-infected individuals earlier, when their immune systems are healthier, delays AIDS-related health events, such as chronic herpes simplex virus and tuberculosis, as well as death. Additionally, researchers found that earlier HIV treatment is also cost-effective because it increases survival, prevents costly opportunistic infections and averts transmission of the virus to uninfected individuals. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-landmark-hiv-treatment-as-prevention-additional-health.html HIV & AIDS Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:46:53 EST news262619200 (HealthDay) -- The practice of "oral-genital suction" performed during some Orthodox Jewish circumcision ceremonies could leave the infant with a potentially fatal herpes virus infection, health officials warn. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-ritual-jewish-circumcisions-herpes-infection.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:31:08 EST news258305390 (Medical Xpress) -- Could engineered human stem cells hold the key to cancer survival? Scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), the world's first bioengineering and nanotechnology research institute, have discovered that neural stem cells possess the innate ability to target tumor cells outside the central nervous system. This finding, which was demonstrated successfully on breast cancer cells, was recently published in leading peer reviewed journal, Stem Cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-discovery-breast-cancer-therapy.html Cancer Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:00:01 EST news254123095 A study combining three trials of antiviral therapy to treat genital herpes (herpes simplex virus type 2/HSV-2) has shown that the virus can reactivate in 'breakthrough episodes' even when doses of antiviral therapy are high. Thus new therapies are needed to successfully prevent onward transmission of this common infection that affects some one in five of the general population. These are the conclusions of an Article published Online First by the Lancet, written by Dr Christine Johnston, University of Washington Virology Research Clinic, Seattle, WA, USA, and colleagues. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-genital-herpes-reactivate-high-dose.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:30:01 EST news244915701 An investigational vaccine protected some women against infection from one of the two types of herpes simplex viruses that cause genital herpes, according to findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-genital-herpes-vaccine.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:45:17 EST news244921506 A team of researchers from the University of Utah and the University of Massachusetts has identified the first gene associated with frequent herpes-related cold sores. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-gene-linked-herpes-related-cold-sores.html Genetics Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:15:13 EST news241866898 Investigators have identified a human chromosome containing a specific gene associated with susceptibility to herpes simplex labialis (HSL), the common cold sore. Published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and now available online, the study looks at how several genes may affect the severity of symptoms and frequency of this common infection. The findings, if confirmed, could have implications for the development of new drugs to treat outbreaks. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-specific-gene-linked-cold-sore.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:28:41 EST news238994797 A University of Queensland (UQ) start-up company, Coridon Pty Ltd, established to commercialise Professor Ian Frazer's work in developing next generation DNA vaccines, has successfully completed pre-clinical efficacy testing of its prototype Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) vaccine, with outstanding results. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-uq-start-up-herpes.html Medications Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:16:14 EST news238666567 HIV infection is commonly associated with other sexual infections, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV). Infection with HSV facilitates the risk of HIV infection and negatively impacts the clinical course of HIV disease. Therefore, it would be highly beneficial to identify multi-faceted microbicide compounds that are efficient against HIV-1 and other sexually transmitted infections. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-duty-anti-hiv-topical-gel-herpes.html HIV & AIDS Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:36:08 EST news238246558 Antiviral drugs used to target the herpes virus could be effective at slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a new study shows. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-antiviral-drugs-alzheimer.html Neuroscience Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:37:09 EST news238062999 Herpes infections on the lips, in the eyes or on the nose are painful, long-lasting and unpleasant. A new 3D herpes infection model brings hope: active ingredients and new treatments can be reliably tested with this model. Animal tests could soon be a thing of the past. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-goodbye-cold-sores.html Medical research Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:32:50 EST news226751446 Persons who have tested positive for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) but do not have symptoms or genital lesions still experience virus shedding during subclinical (without clinical manifestations) episodes, suggesting a high risk of transmission from persons with unrecognized HSV-2 infection, according to a study in the April 13 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on infectious disease and immunology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-persons-herpes-simplex-virus-symptoms.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:00:56 EST news221824818 A study of patients attending sexual health clinics in Gothenburg found that just four out of ten patients with genital herpes actually knew that they had the disorder. However, a third of those who did not realise that they had been infected reported typical symptoms at a follow-up visit, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-recurring-genital-problems-herpes.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:50:39 EST news221755822