Herpes simplex viruses type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are ubiquitous human pathogens capable of producing primary, latent, and recurrent infections. These viruses cause a variety of clinical illnesses including genital herpes, oral-facial infections (e.g., gingivostomatitis, labialis, pharyngitis), cutaneous infections (e.g., whitlow, herpes gladiatorum), ocular infections, neonatal herpes, herpes encephalitis, disseminated infection, and erythema multiforme.<sup>25 Stanberry L.R., Jorgensen D.M., Nahmias A.J. Herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 Viral Infections of Humans: Epidemiology and Control New York: Plenum Medical Book Company (1997).  419-454

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> Primary HSV infections may be symptomatic or subclinical. The severity and duration of most symptomatic primary infections can be reduced by prompt initiation of antiviral therapy with acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir. However, even with antiviral therapy, latency is established and patients are at risk of periodically experiencing symptomatic or asymptomatic recurrences. Recurrent infections are generally less severe than the primary infection, but respond less well to episodic antiviral therapy, and place the patient at high risk for transmitting the virus to susceptible individuals with whom they have close contact. The spread of genital herpes in the United States, for example, has increased over the past two decades despite the availability of effective antiviral therapy.<sup>7 Fleming D.T., McQuillan G.M., Johnson R.E. , et al. Herpes simplex virus Type 2 in the United States, 1976 to 1994 N Engl J Med 1997 ;  337 : 1105-1111  [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> The magnitude of the public health problem posed by HSV infections and the apparent failure of antiviral therapy to significantly impact their spread establishes a clear need for safe and effective vaccines to control HSV disease. This article will summarize the past and current efforts to develop both prophylactic and therapeutic HSV vaccines.