Brief Encounters
HERPES SIMPLEX TYPE-2 – INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
As part of our ongoing Tropical Medicine series (Edited by Assistant Editor, David Lewis) Paz-Bailey and colleagues review the epidemiology and management of Herpes simplex type-2 (HSV-2) infection in the developing world. They identify several important issues. First, that HSV-2 is highly prevalent worldwide and is an increasingly important cause of genital ulcer disease (GUD). Second, continued HSV-2 transmission is facilitated by the large number of undiagnosed cases, the frequency of atypical disease and the occurrence of asymptomatic shedding. Third, in low- and middle-income countries the lack of easy, affordable diagnostic tests and of specific antiviral therapy are of concern, given the ability of HSV-2 and other causes of GUD to enhance acquisition and transmission of HIV. This review highlights that a safe and effective vaccine is needed, together with locally-delivered multi-faced interventions to improve clinical recognition of genital herpes infection, in order to prevent the spread of HSV-2 and …
