Newly Diagnosed Patients

Facts regarding patients newly diagnosed with genital herpes:

  • Almost 90% of patients who tested positive for HSV-2 were unaware they were infected 1
  • "Asymptomatic viral shedding is most frequent during the first 12 months after acquiring HSV-2" 2
  • "Most patients with symptomatic, first-episode genital HSV-2 infection subsequently experience recurrent episodes of genital lesions" 3

Results from a 60-day shedding substudy 2:

Post-hoc analysis from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled shedding substudy (n=89) where 50 patients were given placebo once daily and followed for 60 days. Enrolled patients had a history of <9 recurrences/year and had been diagnosed for a median of 6 years.

The majority of patients with symptomatic, first-episode genital HSV-2 infection subsequently experience recurrent episodes of genital lesions 2

  • Number of recurrences in newly diagnosed GH patients during their first year:
    Results from 2 studies
    • Study A- 4.3 4
    • Study B- 5.8 2

Symptoms of genital herpes may include sores, blisters, cuts, tingling, itching, bumps, pimples, redness, aches and pain in the genital area, and flu-like symptoms.5

Patients may attribute their genital herpes symptoms to other medical conditions.5-7

Read more about treatment and counseling of newly diagnosed patients


Treatment
In patients newly diagnosed with genital herpes, VALTREX is an option for episodic therapy, outbreak reduction, and viral shedding reduction.*
Initial Counseling
Prepare yourself for counseling your patients.
*The clinical significance of reducing viral shedding is unknown.

 

  1. Xu F, Sternberg MR, Kottiri BJ, et al. Trends in herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 seroprevalence in the United States. JAMA. 2006;296:964-973.
    2.
  2. Data on file, GlaxoSmithKline.
    3.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. MMWR.2006;55 (RR-11):1-92.
    4.
  4. Handsfield HH., Warren T, Werner M, Phillips JA. Suppressive therapy with valacyclovir in early genital herpes: a pilot study of clinical efficacy and
    herpes-related quality of life. Sex Transm Dis. 2007;34:339-343.
  5. National Institutes of Health Web site. Genital Herpes. Available at
    http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/genital_herpes/symptoms.htm. Accessed on November 21, 2007.
    6.
  6. Beers MH, Berkow R, eds. Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. 17th ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories; 1999.
    7.
  7. Ashley RL, Wald A. Genital herpes: review of the epidemic and potential use of type-specific serology. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1999;12:1-8.