Really, so it is normal to have the outbreaks around my period.  I
havent heard of that but lately that's what has been happening...I have
dealt w/ this for close to 14 years and have never experienced such
frequent outbreaks.  Good thought about the dip in the immune system; i
didnt think about that.

Thanks...ar

Really, so it is normal to have the outbreaks around my period.  I
havent heard of that but lately that's what has been happening...I have

dealt w/ this for close to 14 years and have never experienced such
frequent outbreaks.  Good thought about the dip in the immune system; I
didnt think about that.

Thanks..

I still would like to know if anyone has come across this correlation...

Nice find.
Methinks it bears repeating
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Hormonal Birth Control, Bacterial Infections in Women Linked to
Increased Shedding of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
07 Apr 2005

Women who are infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) may
have an increased risk of transmitting the virus to others if they use
hormonal contraceptives or have certain bacterial vaginal infections,
according to an article in the May 15 issue of Clinical Infectious
Diseases, now available online. The study underscores the importance
of diagnosing and treating vaginal bacterial infections to prevent the
spread of the herpes virus.

HSV-2 can remain latent in the body for some time, but when it becomes
active and begins to multiply (a process known as "shedding"), it
becomes transmissible to others, particularly through sexual activity.
HSV-2 is a common infection--20 to 25 percent of American adults are
infected--and can remain asymptomatic, so most people who are infected
don't know it. Evidence suggests that HSV-2 infection can increase the
risk of HIV transmission, which is further reason for trying to curb
HSV-2's spread.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Magee-Womens Research
Institute studied 330 women with HSV-2 infection to determine what
factors heighten the risk of transmitting the virus to sexual
partners. They found that the use of oral or injectable hormonal
contraceptives is linked with genital tract shedding of HSV-2, which
had been suggested by one prior study. However, they also found that
two common types of bacterial infections, bacterial vaginosis (BV) and
vaginal Group B streptococcus (GBS), were related to an increased risk
of HSV-2 shedding, an association that had not previously been made.
Vaginal yeast infections were not associated with increased shedding
risk.

If confirmed in future studies, the findings would have significant
implications, according to Thomas Cherpes, MD, of the Magee-Womens
Research Institute and lead author of the study. "Because hormonal
contraceptives are used by millions of people throughout the world,
even a modest association with HSV-2 shedding would provide a
significant contribution to the burgeoning genital herpes epidemic,"
he said. Dr. Cherpes added that further research is also required to
determine if the type of contraceptive (such as oral birth control
pills versus injectable Depo-Provera) affects shedding frequency.

The novel finding that some vaginal bacterial infections are also
linked to a higher frequency of HSV-2 shedding could be important in
controlling the spread of HSV-2. "BV is an infection that is readily
treatable, and treatment for it is effective," Dr. Cherpes said. "I
believe that treatment of BV will be shown to be an effective therapy
to reduce the risk of HSV-2 shedding, but, again, further work is
required."

Vaginal GBS becomes problematic when bacterial colonization is heavy;
in pregnant women, GBS can result in infants with low birthweight or
even severe infections. "In light of that, it's not that much of a
leap to think that the alterations caused by the presence of GBS can
also … result in increased [HSV-2] shedding frequency," Dr. Cherpes
said. Penicillin and related drugs, though, are usually effective
treatments for GBS.

Since there is no true cure for genital herpes, controlling its
transmission is the only option. Women who have HSV-2 should consider
alternate forms of contraception, such as condoms. And because there
is no vaccine available for genital herpes, treating the bacterial
infections that could predispose women to higher HSV-2 shedding
frequency is probably one of the best ways to keep the virus in check,
according to Dr. Cherpes. "I think it's going to be an important
thing--it's not going to be a panacea, but it will help slow the
spread [of HSV-2], and right now we want to do anything to slow the
spread," he said.

Founded in 1979, Clinical Infectious Diseases publishes clinical
articles twice monthly in a variety of areas of infectious disease,
and is one of the most highly regarded journals in this specialty. It
is published under the auspices of the Infectious Diseases Society of
America (IDSA). Based in Alexandria, Virginia, IDSA is a professional
society representing about 8,000 physicians and scientists who
specialize in infectious diseases. For more information, visit
http://www.idsociety.org.

Contact: Steve Baragona
sbaragona@idsociety.org
703-299-0412
Infectious Diseases Society of America
http://www.idsociety.org