Long-term suppressive therapy for herpes simplex - an audit

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Infectious Diseases
• Virology

Background:

• Recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections pose a significant challenge.
• Long-term suppressive therapy is a common management strategy.
• Assessing adherence to treatment guidelines is crucial for effective patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and adherence to guidelines of long-term suppressive therapy for recurrent HSV infections.
• To analyze patient data from a university hospital between 2000 and 2007.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient records.
• Documentation and graphical representation of findings.
• Comparison of patient outcomes with British Association for Sexual Health and HIV guidelines.

Main Results:

• 82% of patients had HSV for at least 12 months prior to therapy.
• 78.2% experienced at least six recurrences annually before treatment.
• Only 5.8% had treatment interruptions within 12 months; 15.9% had fewer than six outbreaks at baseline.

Conclusions:

• Patient profiles indicate long-standing, frequent HSV recurrences before suppressive therapy.
• Treatment interruption rates suggest good patient compliance, but baseline recurrence rates were often higher than guideline recommendations.
• The study highlights areas for improved patient selection and management in HSV suppressive therapy.