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Vancouver,
B.C.— Genital
herpes management could be improved with confirmatory laboratory
testing, using the full range of antiviral therapies, and increasing
the quality of post-diagnosis counselling/education, suggest researchers
at the University of British Columbia.
People living with herpes were recruited through the International
Herpes Alliance web site and linked sites. A total of 2,075 surveys
from 78 countries were evaluated. Seventy-five per cent of respondents
were female, and 65 per cent were from the United States.
Half of respondents said they were not pleased with the care they
had received from the attending physician; the more time patients
spent with the physician during the first appointment, the happier
they were. Almost 60 per cent reported they would take daily therapy
if it reduced outbreak frequency.
Genital herpes was diagnosed by: culture/other direct detection
(49 per cent), antibody test (nine per cent), and exam only (34
per cent).
Management included: prescription antiviral (65 per cent), topical
agent (18 per cent), and alternative therapy (17 per cent).
The study was led by David M. Patrick, MD, director of epidemiology
services, B.C. Centre for Disease Control, and
was presented at the 2003 Congress of the International Society
for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research, held in Ottawa.
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