Each year up to 500,000 Americans get genital herpes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than one in five American adults are infected with herpes simplex type 2, the most common virus that causes herpes. Many people with herpes don't know they can transmit the virus when there are no outward signs of infection, which has contributed to the rapid spread of the infection. Reduction in viral shedding may reduce the likelihood of spreading the disease. Individuals who participated were those that were expected to have higher rates of viral shedding as a result of having either newly acquired disease or more frequent bouts of herpes.
Tissue culture is a standard form of detecting the presence of the virus.
PCR is a more sensitive method available in research institutions. Results showed that by both testing measures, valaciclovir significantly reduced the risk of subclinical viral shedding when compared to placebo. The efficacy of valaciclovir is comparable to that seen with acyclovir. This study shows that valiciclovir can significantly reduce the rate of viral shedding in those subjects with recurrent genital herpes. Currently, the University of Washington and other sites around the world are participating in a malticenter study to examine the effect of the drug on reducing the transmission of the herpes virus and to further evaluate its ability to reduce the rate of subclinical viral shedding.