Vitaherpavac vaccine?

Is anybody familiar with this therapeutic vaccine which is apparently available in russia?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19882901

[gracefromHHP]

I'm sorry but I have no details.

this was in testing there, not sure it's been approved to be available this quickly.

grace

[c84M]

This is very interesting, and it's funny how I've never came across these vaccines in my earlier research!  

Turns out, one of the earlier HSV1/2 vaccines has been available in Russia since mid '80s, according to the article titled, "Comparative clinical trials of herpes simplex vaccines developed in Russia", http://www.epidemvac.ru/pdf/epid_2(27)%20_dm.pdf (page 38 of the journal, available only in Russian, sans the English abstracts).  This specific study doesn't have a placebo control group, simply comparing the two vaccines they have — I'd really like to find another article they reference, "Инактивированная специфическая вакцина как средство иммунопрофилактики при хронических вирусных инфекциях" (2002), which might provide a more subjective reference on how effective this therapeutic vaccine is, but looks like most of this stuff isn't online, unfortunately.  If you do read Russian, some other interesting stuff appears here: http://www.biomedservice.ru/publish/pub51_Opportunic_infectionN2.pdf .  But in general, I guess I wouldn't hold my breath that any of those vaccines would be approved by the FDA within the next five years, so if you research the concept and deem it worthwhile, might as well go to Russia to get therapeutically vaccinated, I guess. :-)  

[c84M]

It is kinda surprising that all the studies in the US do appear to be based exclusively on VLP research, and not inactivated virus strains, when it comes to HSV.

[vik10]

I am planning to be in Moscow late August and have arranged for this Vaccination. it is freely sold by several pharmacies and is readilly available at most hospitals/ Dermitologists.  the treatment course is 5 injections, 2 days apart so 12 days or so. The vaccine is Euro 19 per shot, consultation is Euro 150 Its costs approximately $450 for the 10 day program.

You can also buy a what they call a medical box to carry the vaccine back with you and have it administered in your home country.  After 6 month a booster/ refresher shot is also required.  The way it works is that is helps human T cells react faster and fight better so one experiences reduced or no outbreaks

[Springfling]

Could you please post your experience here or on any herpes forum (HCsupport) so we can see how well you respond. Good luck and thanks for sharing!

[vik10]

Hi! Their approach is to do an immunogram first - you can get one at any HIV or pregnancy clinic. Good approach - seems consistent with the US practice where doctors recommend the only FDA approved shingles vaccine to people with strong immunities (see below)- funny no one mentioned an immunogram to me before.  Vitaherpavac has a 60% success change - hope it works for me.

Also  note that it was 10 years after sales in Europe that the FDA approved Zigran for occular herpes (just search for the new article)

Shingles Vaccine May Reduce Risk Of Shingles Outbreaks By 55%.
The Los Angeles Times (1/12, Maugh) reports that a study published Jan. 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association involving "more than 300,000 elderly patients showed that the underutilized herpes zoster vaccine reduced the incidence of painful shingles outbreaks by 55%, even in the oldest populations." Shingles, "a painful rash brought on by the varicella zoster virus," may precipitate painful post-herpetic neuralgia and may also "cause vision loss if it spreads to the eyes." There is no cure for the condition, which is precipitated by the same virus that causes chickenpox.
        Bloomberg News (1/12, Ostrow) reports that after comparing "75,761 members of Kaiser Permanente who received Zostavax with 227,283 unvaccinated members," researchers "found that one episode of shingles would be averted for every 71 people who receive the vaccine." Based on the study's findings and the fact that the incidence of shingles will increase as baby boomers age, family-practice physician Juanita Watts, of Kaiser Permanente's office in Glendale, CA, "said anyone 60 and older, including people who've had shingles before, can get the vaccine as long as they don't suffer from an illness that affects their immune system."

Hope it helps.. feel free to email directly