HERPES SIMPLEX QUESTION

[Patrick O'Neil]

On 2 Mar 1995, Ali Karami wrote:

>  my wife has recurrent heoes  in her mouth specially lips and aphtos ( I am not
>  sure about spelling) some , she has this problem for long time . is there
>  any vaccine or drug for real treatment ? and why some people are so sensitive
>  to this  ( i nevere had even single herpes in my life ).

I assume that the herpes you refer to is the common oral type?  HSVI?  It 
isn't all that different than genital herpes...  There is, as yet, no 
vaccine which wouldn't help a person already infected, and there are only 
mediocre treatments:  Zovirax is the main one and comes in topical and 
oral form.  It can help reduce the period of expression and the 
severity.  
  That your wife has it and you do not is lucky for you - though it is 
more an occassional irritant rather than a real threat.  In any case, it 
is important that while sores exist, and up to the point that they are 
completely healed, to avoid contact with the lesions (avoid kissing lips 
with active sore) or you could then contract it too.  Fingers must not 
come into contact (your wife's or yours) with an active lesion and the 
eyes:  hygiene is especially important at these times.  It is best to use 
seperate towels and washcloths while sores exist since the virions can 
last quite a while on moist backgrounds like these.  The same precautions 
go for genital herpes.  

Any dermatologist should be able to help with questions.

Patrick