Student awareness of STD's lacking - Features

Student awareness of STD's lacking - Features



Student awareness of STD's lacking Samantha Palmer Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Features The American Social Health Association reports that STD's are the most prevalent health issues facing college students ...

PositiveFriends.com Launches STD Social Networking Site Balancing Dating with Online Support Features

PositiveFriends.com is for those affected by STDs. According to the CDC, there are over 65 million Americans currently living with an STD, 19 million new STD infections each year, one in three sexually active men and women living with Herpes, and about 50% of all sexually active Americans affected by HPV. One-third of all single and dating Americans now exploring online personal ads (BusinessWeek, 2006) and niche dating has never been hotter.



PositiveFriends.com Launches STD Social Networking Site Balancing Dating with Online Support Features

Gallery of girls&guys living with herpes/hpv/hiv or other STDs.

Gallery of girls&guys living with herpes/hpv/hiv or other STDs.

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Sex Lubricant Could Stop HIV and Herpes!

AN experimental sex lubricant designed by Australian researchers could help block both HIV and genital herpes, a study suggests.

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HPV Vaccination For All Positive Gay Men?

All HIV-positive gay men should receive Gardasil, the vaccine that prevents cancerous human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18, say researchers who presented data at July’s International AIDS Society Conference in Sydney, Australia. The prevalence of these strains in a cohort study hints that mass immunizations may reduce the likelihood of anal cancer in this high-risk population, according to AIDSmap.
Of the 70 HIV-positive California and Illinois patients who had anal Pap smears, 33 were found to be positive for HPV infection—41 percent of whom had HPV types 16 and/or 18. To the Veterans Administration investigators conducting the study, this high rate of cancer-causing infection signals a “strong rationale” for a large-scale vaccination program.
Gardasil, which is also effective against HPV types 6 and 11—non-cancerous strains that can cause genital warts—is only approved for females between 9 and 29 years of age. A large clinical trial is currently exploring the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness in a study of men.




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herpes personals, HPV dating, HIV personals

A premier community place to find herpes personals, HPV dating, HIV personals,STD personals, poz personals, AIDS support, STD forum, poz blog.

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New sex lubricant could block HIV, herpes

Australian researchers have engineered a sex lubricant that could block HIV and herpes, reports The [Sydney] Daily Telegraph's Web site.

The microbicide gel, called Viva Gel, was tested on lab animals. Recent trials have shown the gel to be 85% to 100% effective, according to the article.

Viva Gel's central ingredient is the molecule dendrimer, which can bind itself to the AIDS virus as well as the virus responsible for genital herpes, preventing their ability to infect healthy cells.

The first trials of humans are under way. Initial reports call the lubricant "safe and well-tolerated" in healthy men. The lubricant is also being tested as a contraceptive for women.

Deciding if New HPV and Herpes Zoster Vaccines are Right for Patients

For more than 200 years, vaccines have played an important role in the prevention of infectious diseases. In the United States, measles, mumps and rubella are now rare diseases thanks to vaccines. Now, two vaccines recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the herpes zoster vaccine – are proving effective in protecting people from serious or potentially life-threatening diseases.

Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Summer Academy Meeting 2007, dermatologist Stephen K. Tyring, MD, PhD, FAAD, professor of dermatology and professor of microbiology, molecular genetics and internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas, discussed the safety and efficacy of these two new vaccines and innovative ways vaccines could be administered in the future.

HPV Vaccine

HPV is a group of viruses commonly linked to the sexually transmitted diseases known as genital HPV infection, which have long been associated with the development of cervical cancer, a life-threatening cancer that the American Cancer Society estimates will claim the lives of 3,670 American women in 2007.

In 2006, a breakthrough vaccine was approved by the FDA for the prevention of HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. HPV types 6 and 11 are responsible for more than 90 percent of all cases of genital warts, and HPV types 16 and 18 cause 70 percent of all cervical cancers. Although the vaccine is specifically approved for use in females 9 to 26 years of age, Tyring acknowledged that people are still hesitant about getting the vaccination because of a lack of understanding about who should be vaccinated and when – as well as widespread skepticism on the safety and efficacy of all vaccines.

“In my opinion, the HPV vaccine is the medical breakthrough of the 21st century,” said Tyring. “For the first time in history, we have a vaccine that is proven 99 percent effective in study patients five years after follow-up to prevent cervical cancer and HPV. This vaccine has the potential to save countless lives in future generations of women.”

Tyring reported that one of the main concerns about the HPV vaccine is the misconception that the vaccine could cause an infection upon injection. However, unlike other vaccines, the HPV vaccine is a synthetic vaccine that does not contain a live virus – making it impossible to develop the infection from the vaccination. In addition, Tyring finds that parents are hesitant to vaccinate their young daughters (as young as 9 years old) despite the fact that the vaccine must be administered before the start of sexual activity to be completely effective.

“Studies show that younger girls are more likely to be exposed to HPV than older women, which is why some states are considering mandating the HPV vaccine for girls beginning at age 9,” said Tyring. “If the HPV vaccine is required by law, parents who do not want their daughters vaccinated can opt out without being penalized or fined. But when you look at the facts – the protection the HPV vaccine provides against the most common sexually transmitted disease and a known fatal form of cancer – how could you not want to protect your daughter when the means are available?”

Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Vaccine

Herpes zoster, commonly referred to as shingles, is characterized by a painful, blistering rash that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. An estimated 1 million people will develop shingles in the United States each year, with adults over age 60 being most at risk and prone to more serious complications of the virus.

“The recent introduction of the herpes zoster vaccine is a unique use of a vaccine in that it is not intended to prevent an infection, but for the prevention of a recurrence of the infection,” explained Tyring. “Since this vaccine contains a live virus, there is a chance it could cause the chickenpox infection and should not be administered to anyone who has not had the chickenpox or patients with compromised or weakened immune systems. But for those patients who are good candidates for this vaccine, the potential health benefits are excellent.”

Approved by the FDA in 2006 for use in adults age 60 and older, the herpes zoster vaccine was found to be effective in preventing the occurrence of shingles in 51 percent of adults age 60 and older who participated in placebo-controlled trials in the United States. However, Tyring added that even in the 49 percent of patients who developed shingles despite the vaccine, approximately two-thirds of these patients reported a reduction in the severity of their shingles and less pain than in previous outbreaks.

New Non-Injection Vaccines

While the fear of needles will keep some patients from considering the new preventative vaccines, some vaccines are currently being administered by means other than injections – via intranasal, oral or topical methods. Tyring suggested that when needles are taken out of the equation, compliance with vaccines increases. He added that vaccines given through topical patches are now under development, as are vaccines being studied for the prevention of genital herpes, HIV, avian influenza and a number of non-viral diseases.

“Vaccines approved by the FDA are at least a million times safer than the viruses that they prevent,” said Tyring. “Patients should discuss any concerns about the new HPV vaccine or the herpes zoster vaccine with their dermatologist to determine if they are good candidates for these vaccinations.”

Vaccines for HPV and Herpes Zoster Could Prevent More People from Getting Diseases

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According to the American Academy of Dermatology, vaccines have been effective in making measles, mumps, and rubella rare diseases in the United States . Vaccines have played an important role when it comes to preventing infectious disease, and now two vaccines that have been approved by the FDA are also proving themselves effective in protecting people from diseases that could be life-threatening, according to the AAD. These two recent vaccines are the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the herpes zoster vaccine.

Yesterday, August 1, Stephen K Tyring, MD, PhD, FAAD, professor of dermatology and professor of microbiology molecular genetics and internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas, discussed the safety and efficacy of these vaccines at the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academyu Meeting 2007, according to the AAD. He also discussed innovative ways that vaccines could be administered in the future.

The HPC vaccine was approved by the by the FDA in 2006 to prevent HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. The AAD says hat HPV types 6 and 11 are responsible for over 90% of genital warts cases. They say that HPV types 16 and 18 are the cause of 70% of all cervical cancers. Dr Tyring says that some people are hesitant to use the HPV vaccine despite its approval by the FDA. He says that they are concerned about the skeptical about the safety of all vaccines and that they often do not understand who should be vaccinated and when an appropriate time for this is, according to the AAD.

Dr Tyring calls the HPV vaccine "the medical breakthrough of the 21st century." He says that the "vaccine has the potential to save countless lives in future generations of women."

The herpes zoster vaccine could protect the estimated 1 million people who develop shingles in the US every year, according to AAD. Dr Tyring says that "the recent introduction of the herpes zoster vaccine is a unique use of a vaccine in that it is not intended to prevent an infection, but for the prevention of a recurrence of the infection." Dr Tyring says that this vaccine contains the chickenpox virus. Because of this "there is a chance that it could cause the chickenpox infection and should not be administered to anyone who has not had the chickenpox or patients with compromised or weakened immune systems."

A fear of needles prevents some people from getting the vaccines that could save their lives. Some vaccines are now being administered through intranasal, oral, or topical methods so that they do not have to be injected. According to AAD, Dr Tyring suggested that compliance with vaccines increases when they do not have to be administered with needles.

Late valacyclovir for herpes yields greater response.

Therapy with valacyclovir (Valtrex, GlaxoSmithKline), started within three months of infection with either herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or HSV type 2 (HSV-2), reduces the rate of symptomatic outbreaks compared with placebo, Seattle investigators report in the Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
However, the response rate to valacyclovir in this study was somewhat lower than rates seen in other studies, in which treatment wasn't started for a year or more after the onset of infection, according to Dr. H. Hunter Handsfield of the Batelle Center for Research and Evaluation and the University of Washington's Center for AIDS and STDs and colleagues.
"All the studies to this point were in patients who had been infected for at least a year before treatment," Handsfield told Reuters Health. "That's what FDA approval of valacyclovir is based on."
Handsfield and colleagues conducted a pilot study of 119 patients with early HSV infection who were randomly assigned to valacyclovir or placebo daily for six months.
The average patient age was 28.7 years, 66 percent were women, 63 percent had HSV-1 infection and 18 percent had HSV-2 infection. The maximum duration of infection was three months for eligibility in the trial.
At follow-up, the investigators found that the valacyclovir-treated patients had an average of 1.7 outbreaks of HSV infection per year compared with 3.4 episodes per years with placebo.
The average time to first recurrence of symptoms was 80 days with valacyclovir and 54 days with placebo. Eighteen patients (47 percent) on valacyclovir were recurrence-free at the end of the study period compared with 10 patients (27 percent) on placebo.
Handsfield said that although the response rate is somewhat lower with early compared with delayed antiviral treatment, "there is every reason to suppose, based on the pattern of response seen in other studies, that the response rate will continue to improve over time...and reach that seen in previous studies."
"One important public health message here is that HSV infection...doubles the risk of HIV infection...Patients should be offered early therapy and also counseled about the risk of transmission to uninfected sexual partners," and the importance of abstaining from intercourse during outbreaks and always using condoms.







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U.S. court rejects Novartis motion on patent case

A federal appeals court let stand a ruling on Wednesday that reinstated a lawsuit challenging a Novartis AG (NOVN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research)(NVS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) patent on the genital herpes drug Famvir.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied a Novartis request to review the reinstatement of the patent challenge by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA.O: Quote, Profile, Research)
(TEVA.TA: Quote, Profile, Research).
The appeals court, in a brief notice on its Web site, said it turned down a Novartis request to have a panel of judges rehear a March ruling in Teva's favor.
Teva spokeswoman Denise Bradley said the company had no comment. A Novartis spokeswoman could not immediately be reached.
In March, the appeals court reversed a lower court ruling and reinstated a patent suit filed by Teva against Novartis over Famvir, known generically as famciclovir.
Teva filed an application with the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 to sell a generic version of Famvir. Novartis later filed suit alleging Teva had infringed one of its five patents on the drug.
Teva sought to challenge all five patents, but a lower court threw out its suit related to the four patents for which Novartis did not sue.





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Herpes virus hijacks DNA repair process

Scientists probing the details of viral infection have discovered an intriguing surprise: in mice, herpes viruses hijack their host cells' tools for fixing DNA damage and use those tools to enhance their own reproduction.
The DNA damage response normally fixes DNA errors caused by radiation or other environmental factors, or mistakes accidentally introduced when cells copy their genetic material prior to dividing.
In the murine (or mouse-infecting) herpes virus they studied, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified a protein that can trick the mouse cell into turning on the DNA damage response. They also showed that Epstein-Barr virus, a human herpes virus, has a similar protein. Scientists found that blocking murine herpes virus from activating the DNA damage response caused viral replication rates to plummet.
"We don't want to treat viral infection by blocking DNA damage response systemically because this process is used constantly throughout the body and is very important to preventing cancer," says lead author Vera Tarakanova, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow. "However, by targeting the viral protein responsible for activating the DNA damage response, we may be able to block viral replication. In addition, determining how the DNA repair response helps viral replication may enable us to develop novel strategies to treat infection."
The paper appears online this week in Cell Host & Microbe. Scientists have known for some time that viral infection of cells activates the DNA damage response. But researchers had assumed that this activation occurred because repair mechanisms were mistaking replicating viral DNA for damaged or dysfunctional cellular DNA.
"Viruses sometimes structure their own DNA differently than cellular DNA," Tarakanova notes. "Many of us thought that such differences might be triggering the DNA damage response." Working in the laboratory of Herbert W. "Skip" Virgin, M.D., Ph.D., Edward Mallinckrodt Professor and head of the Department of Pathology and Immunology, Tarakanova found that murine herpes virus, rather than the host cell, was triggering the DNA damage response. She showed that introducing just one viral protein into cells led to activation of two cellular proteins involved in the damage response, ATM and H2AX.
The viral protein that triggered this inappropriate activation, orf36, is a kinase, a type of protein that chemically modifies other molecules to activate different processes or transmit signals. Genetic comparisons with several human herpes viruses revealed kinases similar to orf36 in the human viruses. Scientists then took a similar kinase from human Epstein-Barr virus and showed that introducing it into cells also activated the DNA damage response.
When the research team genetically disabled orf36 in the murine herpes virus and infected mouse cells with it, the virus no longer activated the DNA damage response. The virus's ability to replicate also dramatically decreased.
Kinases are versatile proteins that sometimes play multiple roles. To ensure that enhanced viral replication wasn't linked to orf36's interactions with other molecules, researchers turned to mice lacking the genes for ATM and H2AX, the damage response proteins activated by infection. When they infected cells from these mice with murine herpes virus, its ability to reproduce was again curtailed. How DNA damage response benefits viral replication is still a mystery and a topic of continuing investigation in the Virgin lab.
"The discovery that induction of the cells' DNA damage response is an intentional viral strategy, rather than a passive cellular response to viral invasion, means that we should look into whether other DNA viruses use a similar approach to enhance their growth," says Virgin.

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Effects of Herpesvirus on Pregnancy

The severity of symptoms depends on where and howthe virus gains entry into the body. Except in veryrare instances and in special circumstances, thedisease is not life threatening, although it can bevery debilitating and cause great emotionaldistress.Effects of Herpesvirus on Pregnancy Pregnantwomen who are infected with either HSV-2 or HSV-1genital herpes have a higher risk for miscarriage,premature labor, retarded fetal growth, ortransmission of the HSV infection to the infantwhile in the uterus or at the time of delivery. Onestudy also suggested a link between HSV-2 infectionin mothers and the subsequent development ofschizophrenia and other forms of psychoses in theiradult offspring, although further study is needed.Recurrence in women previously infected with HSV isalso common during pregnancy. It should be noted,however, that about one million pregnancies occureach year in women who have been infected withHSV-2, but complications occur in only .01% to .04%of all infected pregnant women.







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Treatment of molluscum contagiosum and herpes simplex virus cutaneous infections.

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a human viral infection contracted by skin-to-skin inoculation, autoinoculation, and fomite inoculation. There are a variety of treatments for MC, including watchful waiting, curettage, cantharidin, cryotherapy, and topical imiquimod. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections also have been treated with imiquimod. This article discusses the treatment of MC and HSV infections and reviews the literature.



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Study Published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases Journal Shows Herpes Is Common in Suburban Populations

According to a recent study of 36 primary care physician (PCP) offices in relatively affluent suburban areas of six U.S. cities, one in four people (25.5 percent) tested positive for the virus that causes genital herpes, despite the fact that only four percent of all those tested reported a history of the condition. As the study shows, genital herpes infection rates were high even among suburban, educated and mid to high income populations. The results of this study were published in this month's issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
"Genital herpes continues to spread because very few people with the virus know they have it. The prevalence statistics are important for both patients and doctors because they show that people of all backgrounds are at high risk for contracting genital herpes. This is especially important because people can be contagious even when they do not have symptoms of infection," said Peter Leone, lead author of the study and an associate professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "The study should encourage everyone to practice safer sex, get tested, and if they are infected learn how to manage the disease."
ABOUT THE STUDY
The study took place at six randomly selected PCP offices in relatively affluent areas in each of six U.S. cities (Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver). At each office, approximately 150 people age 18-59 were randomly chosen to participate. All blood samples were sent to a central laboratory. A positive test result indicated they were infected with HSV-2, the virus that causes genital herpes (GH). All samples were analyzed using the Focus Technologies HerpeSelect® 2 ELISA IgG test designed specifically to detect HSV-2 antibodies in the blood.
In total, 5,732 people were screened; of 5,452 people who provided an analyzable blood sample, 5,433 completed a questionnaire. The final sample was 75 percent white, 14 percent African American, and 4 percent Hispanic. Eighty percent were employed full- or part-time, 74 percent had some college or higher education, 45 percent had a household income of $60,000 or higher, and 68 percent were married/living with their partner.
The overall weighted HSV-2 seroprevalence was 25.5 percent -- that means 1 in 4 people tested positive for the virus that causes genital herpes. The seroprevalence ranged from 13.4 percent in the 18-29-year age group, to 25.2 percent (30-39 years), to 31.2 percent (40-49 years) and 28.0 percent (50-59 years). Seroprevalence among women (28.3 percent) was greater than that among men (22.0 percent), and was consistently higher across all age groups. Of the 1,387 people that tested positive for genital herpes, only 12 percent knew they were infected.
The study showed that employment status, marital status and income did not reduce the chances of having genital herpes. Those who were employed full-time had a prevalence of 26 percent, married individuals had a prevalence of 24 percent, those living with their partners had a prevalence of 26 percent, and those with household incomes of $60,000-$80,000 had a prevalence of 24 percent while those with incomes over $100,000 had a prevalence of 21 percent. Those with some college had a prevalence of 28 percent and college graduates had a prevalence of 21 percent.
The study was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies.
About Genital Herpes
In 1991, an estimated 1 in 5, or 45 million, Americans were infected with the virus that causes genital herpes. Experts estimate that up to 60 million Americans have the virus that causes genital herpes and the CDC estimates that approximately 1 million people are infected each year. However, as many as nine out of ten of those infected are unaware they have genital herpes and may only have experienced a mild initial outbreak without recognizing recurring symptoms of the disease. Symptoms of genital herpes may include painful or itchy clusters of blisters, bumps and rashes in the genital area, or on the thighs or buttocks. Many people confuse genital herpes symptoms with other conditions such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), ingrown hair, jock itch, zipper burn, allergic reactions, vaginal infections, a cut or a scratch, or irritation from sexual intercourse or tight jeans.
Though the disease is most contagious during an outbreak, it can also be contagious between outbreaks when no signs and symptoms are present. In fact, in clinical studies, the majority of people got genital herpes from a partner who knew they had genital herpes but reported no signs or symptoms at the time of recent sexual activity.







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Some herpes viruses helpful

A recent study suggests carrying some types of the herpes virus can help fight off bacterial infections, especially early in life.
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis used mice to study the role several herpes viruses -- strains that do not cause active diseases, but remain latent in a host's system -- play in the immune system.
The research revealed surprising benefits. The mice that carried the latent viruses were able to fight off bacterias that cause the plague and food poisoning -- while most those without died, said Erik Barton, an assistant professor of biological sciences at Purdue University. Barton was lead author on the study while a postdoctoral fellow in St. Louis.



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Pregnancy with genital herpes

Pregnant women with genital herpes should be careful about passing the virus on to the baby, but not overly worried about it.

A mother can infect her baby during delivery, often fatally. But if a woman had genital herpes before getting pregnant, or if she is first infected early in pregnancy, the chance that her baby will be infected is very low -- less than 1%.

Women with genital herpes are examined carefully for any symptoms before giving birth. If sores or signs that an outbreak is coming show up at the time of delivery, the baby may be delivered by cesarean section (also called a C-section).

The risk of infecting the baby is high (30% to 50%) when a woman is newly infected late in pregnancy, however. That's because the mother's immune system has not developed protective antibodies against the virus. Women with an older herpes infection have antibodies against the virus, which help protect the baby. If you are pregnant and you think you may have been infected recently, tell your doctor right away.



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H-Balm for Herpes Outbreaks

The H-Balm family of herpes treatments are proven to eliminate herpes outbreaks. Made from 100% organic ingredients, the H-Balm family of herpes treatments treat herpes, genital herpes, cold sores, canker sores, fever blisters, and oral herpes. Our Extra Strength Super Lysine is an all-natural time released formula to effectively treat and suppress the herpes virus.


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Genital herpes treatment options

Treatment options

Treatment with antiviral drugs can help people who are bothered by genital herpes outbreaks stay symptom-free longer. These drugs can also reduce the severity and duration of symptoms when they flare up. Drug therapy is not a cure, but it can make living with the condition easier.
There are three drugs commonly used to treat genital herpes symptoms: Zovirax, Famvir, and Valtrex. These are all taken in pill form. Severe cases may be treated with intravenous (IV) Zovirax.
Formulas applied to the surface of the skin provide little benefit, and doctors don't usually recommend them.

Side effects

Side effects with these drugs are considered mild, and health experts believe these drugs are safe in the long term. Zovirax is the oldest of the three, and its safety has been documented in people taking suppressive therapy for several years.
People taking suppressive therapy should see their doctor at least once a year to decide if they should continue. You may find taking the pills every day to be inconvenient, the drugs may not work for you, or you may naturally have fewer outbreaks as time goes on. Your doctor can help you make treatment choices to suit your needs.

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H success stories from PozGroup.com

We met on this website 3 years ago next month. We chatted and talked on the phone for a little over a month and then we met. It was a great feeling to meet someone who understood what you was going through. We have been together ever since. Our 3 year anniversary is in July. I thought I would never find anyone, and I did thanks to pozgroup.com.

shababyj and the14u
Pierre Part, United States
05-APR-07


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A funny thing happened the other day

I just read this wonderful story at Herpes and Cold Sores Support Forum and want to share it with you all:


Dating with herpes isn't easy, despite the huge number of folks living with it. And while many people experience good feedback after telling a partner about their HSV status, it's still pretty nerve wracking to think about the day you'll have to tell someone.I started dating again recently via a popular online dating service- one I've used in the past with pretty good success. So I was quite happy when, just a couple weeks into my membership, I met someone who I was really attracted to. Wow. Smart, hilarious, cute, great head on his shoulders. But dang, there's still the whole herpes thing to deal with. Crap.I found myself mulling things over the last few days. How would I tell him? Would he freak out? Would he be upset he wasted his time on me? Would he be one of those folks who insists you "date your own kind..they have websites for THAT, you know". It wasn't easy. So anyway, this weekend he came over to my place to hang out. When the movie we were watching finished, we glanced at each other and things got a little quiet. He smiled at me while holding my hand and said "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about". "I dunno, guess you could see it as a 'get out of jail free card' of sorts"Honestly, I had no idea where he was going. Then he blurted: "I have herpes" before rolling his eyes and looking away. I could see he was embarrassed. Worried.And as I sat there in shock, not quite believing my ears and sudden good fortune, never before had the word "herpes" ever sounded so good. But I was also real happy because I realized at that very moment I'd found a guy with integrity. It's pretty easy to get away with not telling a partner about HSV, after all.So as he sat there looking flustered, a huge stupid grin spread across my face. I must've looked like an idiot. He looked at me puzzled before I finally let him off the hook "Hmmmm, that's actually not a bad thing because I have it too". The next few minutes are a little hazy in my mind, but I remember him letting out a deep sigh of relief and giving me a big hug while saying "Oh man, that's so awesome! You're so awesome!" And by the way, nothing happened that night.Anyway, I think the message here is that the unexpected can happen. Incidentally, I've had the "talk" go well with non HSV partners as well, so don't despair the day you have to tell someone about your status. And never believe that HSV makes you any less deserving of a loving, healthy relationship.




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Herpes pictures

Living with STD, but not alone!

I also feel very uncomfortable when people make H jokes

I just recently started to date since I contracted H. I am an outgoing individual who likes to take things day by day. After my diagnosis, I felt like I had to change. I am still spontaneous but became more thoughful of my actions. Now, I feel pressure to be in a relationship so I won't be alone. Nobody seems to be good enough or maybe it's just a self reflection.






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Are you willing to settle?

Since your diagnosis, are you willing to settle with people who have similar diagnosis or take chances with ones who don't? Do you feel pressured to be in a committed relationship?