Novel inhibitors of HSV-1 protease effective in vitro and in vivo.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a widespread human pathogen known to cause infections of diverse severity, ranging from mild ulceration of mucosal and dermal tissues to life-threatening viral encephalitis. In most cases, standard treatment with acyclovir is sufficient to manage the disease progression. However, the emergence of ACV-resistant strains drives the need for new therapeutics and molecular targets. HSV-1 VP24 is a protease indispensable for the assembly of mature virions and, as such, constitutes an interesting target for the therapy. In this study, we present novel compounds, KI207M and EWDI/39/55BF, that block the activity of VP24 protease and consequently inhibit HSV-1 infection in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitors were shown to prevent the egress of viral capsids from the cell nucleus and suppress the cell-to-cell spread of the infection. They were also proven effective against ACV-resistant HSV-1 strains. Considering their low toxicity and high antiviral potency, the novel VP24 inhibitors could provide an alternative for treating ACV-resistant infections or a drug to be used in combined, highly effective therapy.

Low-dose Oral Thimerosal for the Treatment of Oral Herpes: Clinical Trial Results and Improved Outcome After Post-hoc Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Thimerosal (TML) is an organomercury antimicrobial. Low doses (1/250th of the amount in a typical vaccine dose) may promote an antiviral immune response. Low-dose TML (BTL-TML) was evaluated for safety and efficacy against herpes labialis in two FDA-approved, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. METHODS: BTL-TML was evaluated in a Phase IIa trial for its ability to block progression to lesion in subjects with recurrent oral herpes caused by dental trauma. Subjects were administered BTL-TML or a saline control over a 7-day period. In a Phase IIb trial, BTL-TML was evaluated for its ability to block progression to lesion over a 7-day period in subjects with herpes lip infections induced by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. RESULTS: Progression to lesion post-dental procedure was prevented in 54.5% (12/22) TML subjects versus 22.2% (2/9) control subjects (p = 0.106). Progression to lesion post-UV irradiation was blocked in 47.8% (11/23) BTL-TML treatment subjects and 42.8% (6/14) control subjects. A post-hoc analysis yielded 52.2% (12/23) BTL-TML subjects with no progression to lesion versus 28.6% (6/21) control subjects with no progression (p = 0.099). There were no significant differences in adverse effects between treatment and control groups in either trial. CONCLUSIONS: Neither clinical trial showed a statistically significant effect of BTL-TML on progression to lesion. However, the post-hoc analysis suggested there is a 48-hour period following UV radiation exposure during which the anti-herpes activity of antivirals such as BTL-TML is reduced. Accordingly, BTL-TML may have promise in subsequent, properly designed and powered clinical trials.

Medical-Grade Honey Outperforms Conventional Treatments for Healing Cold Sores-A Clinical Study.

Cold sores are nasolabial blisters caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. Novel therapies demonstrating simultaneously antiviral activity and improved wound healing are warranted. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of medical-grade honey (MGH) for treating HSV-induced cold sores. A crossover trial was performed in patients with recurrent cold sores (n = 29). The majority (65.6%) of these patients experience four or more episodes per year, thus forming a valid self-control group. In this study, patients applied an MGH-based formulation (L-Mesitran Soft) on their cold sore at the onset of symptoms (62.1%) or appearing of blister (37.9%) and compared it to their conventional treatments. After complete healing, patients filled in a questionnaire evaluating healing, pain, and itching. The average absolute healing time was 72.4% slower with conventional treatment (10.0 days) compared to MGH (5.8 days). After MGH treatment, 86.2% of all patients experienced faster objective healing (6.9% similar and 6.9% slower) and the subjective healing score was higher in 79.3% of the patients (20.7% similar). If the patients normally experience pain and itching during their cold sores, these levels were lower with MGH therapy compared to conventional treatment in 72.7% and 71.4% of the patients, respectively. Moreover, 100% of the patients prefer MGH treatment over conventional treatment and will use it again on future cold sores. MGH is a promising alternative treatment for cold sores, likely by combining both increased antiviral and wound healing activities while alleviating pain and itching.

Guideline for the Management Herpes Simplex 1 and Cosmetic Interventions.

The Complications in Medical Aesthetics Collaborative (CMAC) is a not-for-profit organization established to promote best patient outcomes through educating clinicians who perform nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of complications that can arise. The organization is a global community sharing information, learning, experience, and data to promote best practice. Herpes simplex is common in the general population. The risk of reactivation due to trauma is acknowledged in the literature. Reactivation of herpes simplex 1 following cosmetic procedures is considered rare, but there are no reliable data on the incidence. Although self-limiting, symptoms can be painful and distressing for patients who have undergone a procedure to improve their appearance. Clinicians should document the steps they've taken to avoid reactivation, and should be confident in their management plan and patient care if a patient suffers a reactivation. The authors have referred to the available literature and experience to provide a user-friendly guideline to reduce risk of herpes simplex 1 reactivation through appropriate patient screening, promote accurate diagnosis and an understanding of differentials, and provide management plans for prophylaxis to minimize adverse sequalae. In cases of post-procedure outbreak, the guideline explains the management options, including patient education and support when prescription medications are not indicated.

Síndrome de Behçet complicado con trombosis venosas profundas en miembros inferiores / Behçet syndrome complicated with deep vein thrombosis in lower limbs

En este trabajo se presentó a un paciente de 32 años que ingresó por pérdida de peso, decaimiento, orinas turbias y dolor en región inguinal derecha. Se describió la evolución clínica, los estudios imagenológicos y de laboratorio que permitieron diagnosticar la presencia del Síndrome de Behçet. Los principales signos presentados por el paciente fueron: ulceraciones bucales recurrentes, la presencia de uveítis anterior y trombosis venosas profundas en miembros inferiores. El cuadro clínico del paciente y la valoración conjunta de varias especialidades médicas constituyeron los factores claves para establecer el diagnóstico definitivo. La evolución del paciente fue satisfactoria con el tratamiento de prednisona y anticoagulantes(AU)

This paper reports a 32-year-old male patient who was hospitalized for weight loss, decay, cloudy urine and pain in the right inguinal region. The clinical evolution, imaging and laboratory studies allowed diagnosing Behçet Syndrome. The patient showed main signs as recurrent mouth ulcerations, anterior uveitis and deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs. The clinical condition of this patient and the joint assessment of various medical specialties were the key factors in establishing the definitive diagnosis. The patient´s evolution was satisfactory treated with prednisone and anticoagulants(AU)

Viral Genetics Modulate Orolabial Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Shedding in Humans.

BACKGROUND: Orolabial herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection has a wide spectrum of severity in immunocompetent persons. To study the role of viral genotype and host immunity, we characterized oral HSV-1 shedding rates and host cellular response, and genotyped viral strains, in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins. METHODS: A total of 29 MZ and 22 DZ HSV-1-seropositive twin pairs were evaluated for oral HSV-1 shedding for 60 days. HSV-1 strains from twins were genotyped as identical or different. CD4+ T-cell responses to HSV-1 proteins were studied. RESULTS: The median per person oral HSV shedding rate was 9% of days that a swab was obtained (mean, 10.2% of days). A positive correlation between shedding rates was observed within all twin pairs, and in the MZ and DZ twins. In twin subsets with sufficient HSV-1 DNA to genotype, 15 had the same strain and 14 had different strains. Viral shedding rates were correlated for those with the same but not different strains. The median number of HSV-1 open reading frames recognized per person was 16. The agreement in the CD4+ T-cell response to specific HSV-1 open reading frames was greater between MZ twins than between unrelated persons (P = .002). CONCLUSION: Viral strain characteristics likely contribute to oral HSV-1 shedding rates.

Clinical Trial of Herbal Treatment Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin in Oral Herpes.

BACKGROUND: Our previous articles showed that suppressive or preventive treatment with the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin reduced the number and duration of genital herpes outbreaks with no adverse effects. These studies also revealed that the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin is mostly superior to acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir drugs in genital herpes. This study tested the effect of Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin in oral herpes (also called cold sores and fever blisters). METHODS: The framework of the study was a retrospective chart review. The study included 68 participants. The participants took 1 to 4 capsules per day over a period of 2 to 36 months. The study included 2 Food and Drug Administration-recommended controls: baseline and a no-treatment. RESULTS: Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin was effective in 89.3% of participants. The treatment reduced the mean number of outbreaks per year from 6.0 and 3.6 in the control groups to 2.0 in the treatment group ( P < .0001 and P = .07, respectively). Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin reduced the mean duration of outbreaks from 9.8 and 5.8 days in the control groups to 3.2 days in the treatment group ( P < .0001 and P = .02, respectively). There were no reports of adverse experiences. Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin was compared to acyclovir and valacyclovir in 6 tests. In all tests, Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin showed higher efficacy. Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin also showed superior safety. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical study showed that suppressive or preventive treatment with the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin reduced the number and duration of outbreaks in oral herpes without any adverse effects. The study also showed that the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin had better clinical effects than acyclovir and valacyclovir, the leading drugs in the category. Based on these results, we recommend using the herbal Gene-Eden-VIR/Novirin as preventive treatment for oral herpes and, specifically, as an alternative to the acyclovir and valacyclovir drugs.

Dissolving polymeric microneedle arrays for enhanced site-specific acyclovir delivery.

Acyclovir is widely indicated for the treatment of herpes labialis (cold sores), typically caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). However, topical acyclovir has poor efficacy, due to its low skin permeability. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the ability of dissolving polymeric microneedle (MN) arrays to improve the local delivery of acyclovir. Acyclovir-loaded dissolving MN arrays (0.49 cm2) were formulated from aqueous blends of Gantrez® S-97 with 361 needles per array (589 ±â€¯9.29 µm height). MN penetrated excised neonatal porcine skin, showing sufficient mechanical strength to resist compression and maintained their appearance after application of a 0.089 N per needle force for 30 s. Dissolution of the needles was observed within 15 min after application to skin and the needles had completely dissolved at 2 h in vitro. In vitro skin permeation studies revealed that the percentage of total acyclovir loading which permeated the skin over a 24 h period using MNs was approximately 45 times higher than that of a commercial cream formulation (Lipsore®). The accumulation of acyclovir at the basal epidermis, the target site of the herpes simplex virus, using MNs was a total of 21.5 µg/cm3in vitro, which is approximately 5 times greater than the 99% inhibition of viral cytopathic effect (ID99) required for HSV infections. This level was also 16 times higher than that obtained using the cream formulation. An in vivo study showed that the use of acyclovir-loaded dissolving MN arrays successfully provided intradermal delivery of acyclovir over a 48 h period and the drug levels in the skin delivered using MN arrays (45.09 ±â€¯13.28 µg/cm3) were superior to those generated by the cream formulation (4.55 ±â€¯1.37 µg/cm3). Accordingly, acyclovir-loaded dissolving MN arrays could be a promising approach for effective local delivery of acyclovir.

Trombosis de senos venosos cerebrales en la enfermedad de Behçet / Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in Behcet's disease

La enfermedad de Behçet es una vasculitis sistémica inmunomediada que afecta los pequeños vasos sanguíneos y se presenta frecuentemente con ulceraciones de las membranas mucosas y síntomas oculares. Se presentó un paciente masculino de 25 años de edad, con antecedentes de úlceras bucales y genitales recurrentes, foliculitis, eritema nudoso, lesiones papulo-pustulosas, el cual tenía, desde 3 meses antes de su presentación en nuestro servicio, manifestaciones clínicas compatibles con un síndrome de hipertensión endocraneana benigna que no logra una evolución favorable con el tratamiento. Mediante la angio-TAC de cráneo se identificó una trombosis de senos venosos cerebrales. Los hallazgos clínicos y radiológicos son compatibles con una enfermedad de Behçet(AU)

Behcet's disease is an immune-mediated systemic vasculitis that affects small blood vessels and it frequently presents with ulceration of the mucous membranes and eye symptoms. A 25 year-old male patient is presented with history of recurrent cold sores and genital folliculitis, erythema nodosum, papular-pustular lesions. For three months before submission to our service, this patient had clinical manifestations compatible with benign intracranial hypertension syndrome that fails favorable evolution with treatment. By skull venuos CTA, venous sinus cerebral thrombosis was identified. Clinical and radiological findings are compatible with Behcet's disease(AU)