Herpesite Medical Research Studies & Journal Reference Articles

These are most of the original medical references and documentation for the Support Group that became HerpeSite.  Much research was done by our original team, including combing through research studies and medical journals cataloged at University Medical Libraries, before the internet made such searches easily accessible to all.  Here is a list of those studies and references.

Much of this original research is still valid, and we have updated the website as breaking new information and studies have been published.

1.  Development of Clinically Recognizable Genital Lesions Among Women Previously Identified as Having “Asymptomatic” Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection.

Annals of Internal Medicine,  110: 882-887, June 1989.  Langenberg, Benedetti, Jenkins, Ashley, Winter, and Corey

Discusses unrecognized infection, 50% of initially history-negative patients “do indeed have clinically symptomatic genital herpes.”

2.  Risk Factors for the Sexual Transmission of Genital Herpes

Annals of Internal Medicine,  116(3): 197-202, February 1992.  Merz Benedetti, Ashley, Selke, and Corey.

Discusses Symptomatic first infections, risk factors for transmission, rates of transmission.

3.  Laboratory Techniques in the Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex Infection

Genitourinary Medicine,  69: 174-183, 1993.  Rhoda L. Ashley

Discusses the natural history of HSV infection and diagnostic methods.

4.  Adjustment to the Psychological and Social Sequelae of Recurrent Genital Herpes Simplex Infection.

Genitourinary Medicine, 69: 384-387, 1993.  Brookes, Haywood, Green.

Discusses the psychological impact of genital herpes due to social stigma and physical recurrences.

5.  The Effect of Suppressive Oral Acyclovir on the Psychological Morbidity Associated With Recurrent Genital Herpes

Genitourinary Medicine, 69: 457-459, 1993.  Carney, Ross, Ikkos, Mindel.

Discusses the psychological relief in individuals taking suppressive doses of acyclovir to reduce herpes outbreaks symptoms.  References studies that found no evidence for stress triggering outbreaks.

6.  A Prospective Study of the Psychological Impact on Patients With a First Episode of Genital Herpes

Genitourinary Medicine, 70: 40-45, 1994.   Carney, Ross, Bunker, Ikkos, Mindel.

Discusses the emotional impact of first episode of genital HSV.

7.  Herpes Latency, Meningitis, Radiculomyelopathy and Disseminated Infection

Genitourinary Medicine, 70: 369-377, 1994.  Joseph J. Sasadeusz, Stephen L. Sacks.

Discusses Herpes latency and reactivation from dormancy, meningitis as a result of HSV infection, and post-herpetic neuralgia as a result of genital herpes.

8.  Lovers, Lawyers, and Limbo

ASHA – The Helper, Winter 1992, p. 1ff.  Charles Ebel, Editor.

9.  From Coitus to Courtroom

ASHA – The Helper, Spring 1994, p. 10.  Charles Ebel, Editor.

Both articles just above discuss the legal aspects of Herpes Transmission, and the perils of Herpes lawsuits.

10.  Epidemiology of Genital Herpes Infections

Infectious Disease Clinics of North America,  7(4): 825-839, December 1993.  Gregory Mertz.

Discusses unrecognized genital herpes infections, and the risks of herpes during pregnancy.

11.  First Episode, Recurrent, and Asymptomatic Herpes Simplex Infections.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 18(1): 169-172, January 1988.  Lawrence Corey.

Signs & symptoms of new herpes infections vs recurrent outbreaks vs outbreaks that occur with few to no identifiable symptoms.

12.  Psychiatric, Legal, and Moral Issues of Herpes Simplex Infections

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,  18(1): 173-175, June 1998.  Peter Lynch.

Social and legal aspects of HSV transmission… contains several contradictory statements and conclusions, especially regarding HSV contagiousness during prodrome.

13.  Transmission of Genital Herpes in Couples with One Symptomatic and One Asymptomatic Partner: A Prospective Study

Journal of Infectious Diseases,  157(6): 1169-1177, June 1988.  Mertz, Coombs, Ashley, Jourden, Remington, Winter, Fahnlander, Guinan, Ducey, and Corey.

Study illustrates the difficulty in differentiating aymptomatic infection from unrecognized or symptomatic disease.

14.  Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Glycoprotein Vaccine in Persons at High Risk for Genital Herpes Infection

Journal of Infectious Diseases, 161: 653-660, April 1990.  Mertz, Ashley, Burke, Benedetti, Critchlow, Jones, and Corey.

15.  Epidemiology of Genital Herpes in Pittsburgh: Serologic, Sexual, and Racial Correlates of Apparent and Inapparent Herpes Simplex Infections

Journal of Infectious Diseases, 162: 299-305, August 1990.  Breinig, Kingsley, Armstrong, Freeman, and Ho.

16.  A Cross-Sectional Study of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 in College Students: Occurrence and Determinants of Infection

Journal of Infectious Diseases,  162: 306-312, August 1990.  Gibson, Hornung, ALexander, Lee, Potts, Nahmias.

17.  Risk of acquisition of Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 in Sex Partners of Persons with Genital Herpes: A Prospective Couple Study

Journal of Infectious Diseases,  167(4): 942-946, April 1993.  Bryson, Dillon, Bernstein, Radolf, Zakowski, and Garratty.

Showed high rate of asymptomatic primary infection. Contrary result to # 21 (Mertz, et al)

18.  Detection of Asymptomatic Herpes Simplex Virus Infections after Vaccination

Journal of Virology,  68(2): 264-268, February 1987.  Ashley, Mertz, and Corey.

19.  Underdiagnosis of Genital Herpes by Current Clinical and Viral-Isolation Proccedures

New England Journal of Medicine, 326(23): 1533-1539, June 4, 1992.  Koutsky, Stevens, Holmes, Ashley, Kiviat, Critchlow, and Corey.

20.  Genital Herpes

Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2nd Edition,  pp 391-413.  Lawrence Corey.

Discussion of Symptomatic vs Asymptomatic vs Unrecognized primary HSV infections.  “Recent prospective studies suggest, however, that most first infections are clinically symptomatic, albeit mild…the frequency of truly asymptomatic infection may not be as high as previously thought.”

21.  Frequency of Acquisition of First-Episode Genital Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus from Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Source Contacts

Sexually Transmitted Diseases,  12(1): 33-39,  Jan-Mar 1985.  Mertz, Schmidt, Jourden, Guinan, Remington, Fahnlander, Winter, Holmes, and Corey.

Results showed a high rate of symptomatic (noticeable & identifiable outbreak) first episodes after transmission.

22.  The Current Trend in Genital Herpes

Sexually Transmitted Diseases,  21(2): S38-44, March-April 1994.  Lawrence Corey.

Discussed current finding is Genital HSV research.  Of particular note: “…most genital herpes is not truly asymptomatic, but unrecognized.”

23.  The Frequency of Unrecognized Type 2 Herpes Simplex Virus Infection among Women

Sexually Transmitted Diseases,  17(2): 90-94, April-June 1990.  Koutsky, Ashley, Holmes, Stevens, Critchlow, Kiviat, Wolner-Hanssen, and Corey.

Study showed a high rate of women who were seropositive (blood tested positive) for HSV 2, but did not have apparent signs or symptoms.

This is just a partial list of all research done by Team HerpeSite.  We’ll be updating the list over time to include other sources of information.  Thank you for your support!

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