The search for a vaccine to protect againstoral and genital herpeshas been a long one.
Researchers have been experimenting with possible vaccines since at least the early 1930s.
To date, they’ve seen little success.
David Mack / Getty Images
While herpes vaccines have been successful in mice, they’ve been largely unsuccessful in human trials.
Existing Herpes Vaccines
Technically speaking, there are already herpes vaccines on the market.
Once a chickenpox infection resolves, the virus remains in a dormant (latent) state.
If it does, it causesshingles(herpes zoster).
It goes dormant, but can suddenly reactivate at any point, bringing on symptoms again.
Oral and genital herpes outbreaks can recur in the same way.
Recap
The chickenpox vaccine protects you from a bang out of herpes.
The shingles vaccine protects you from reactivation of that same virus.
However, this is not the punch in of herpes associated with oral or genital cases.
After all, in many people, the immune system controls herpes infections so that they never have symptoms.
This makes herpes a good target for atherapeutic vaccinethat is, one that treats rather than prevents disease.
However, the herpes simplex viruses have proven to be difficult to control with vaccines.
Barriers and Successes
Some promising trials of herpes vaccines have been performed.
No animal model perfectly replicates HSV infection in humans.
The response was far more robust than seen with any herpes vaccine study to date.
It significantly slowed the virus’s replication and showed less viral shedding.
The procedure involved mice.
It, too, showed promise in preventing genital herpes, improving the effect of an experimental vaccine.
The lack of a vaccine for oral or genital herpes is not for a lack of effort.
Unfortunately, there are a number of barriers to developing a vaccine.
Both suppressive therapy and reliably practicing safer sex can help protect the sexual partners of people with HSV infections.
Frequently Asked Questions
No.
No.However, antiviral medications may prevent or reduce the severity of an oral or genital herpes outbreak.
There is some evidence that certain types of oils can ease a herpes outbreak.
For instance, oregano oil has been shown to have antiviral properties that act on HSV.
But more research is needed to know if these will actually shorten an outbreak.
2017;91(23).
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital herpes.
2018;92(8).
FDA.Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers.
