with its herpes simplex vaccine. This research has shown promise, as Zimmerman notes when he states,
We have shown protection against herpes simplex infectivity in animals. Our ultimate goal is to bring to market a preventive and therapeutic vaccine against herpes simplex infection in humans for which there is no approved vaccine or curative treatment available.
Zimmerman notes the nature of the concern, since herpes simplex works differently from most viruses in that once an individual is infected, the virus remains and can be reactivated by stress or immunosuppression and cause recurrent disease. Today, an estimated 40 to 60 million Americans are infected with herpes simplex virus, and some 600,000 new cases occur each year. Zimmerman notes that a successful herpes simplex virus vaccine would prevent initial infection and could also be useful as a treatment for individuals who suffer from frequent recurrent disease.
A recent survey offers surprising and frightening data, suggesting that two out of three U.S. residents over the age of 12 years have herpes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC study shows that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1), which is most commonly associated with oral cold sores, has an overall prevalence of 65 percent and represents 90 million U.S. HSV 1 infections. This actually shows that the prevalence of HSV 1 infection has remained essentially the same as it was during a similar study 13 years ago. HSV 1 can be sexually transmitted and cause genital ulcers but is not as virulent as HSV-2, and the good news is that HSV-1 infection is thought to protect, at least partially, against the more virulent HSV 2 infection. It is suggested that the observed increases in the national rates of HSV 2 are due to an increase in sexual behaviors which put individuals at risk f
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