From the Guidelines
There is currently no widely approved vaccine for Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) available in India or anywhere else in the world. According to the most recent evidence, despite decades of research, scientists have not yet developed a successful vaccine that provides effective protection against HSV-1 infection 1. The virus's ability to establish latency in nerve cells, evade immune detection, and its complex interaction with the human immune system have made vaccine development particularly challenging. Management of HSV-1 currently relies on antiviral medications such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir, which can reduce the severity and duration of outbreaks but cannot eliminate the virus from the body. These medications work by inhibiting viral DNA replication. For those with recurrent outbreaks, suppressive therapy with daily antivirals may be recommended, such as acyclovir 400 mg twice daily, valacyclovir 500 mg daily, or famcyclovir 250 mg twice daily 1. Prevention strategies include avoiding close contact during active outbreaks and practicing good hygiene. Several vaccine candidates are in various stages of clinical trials globally, but none have yet received regulatory approval for widespread use. Additionally, new antivirals such as helicase-primase inhibitors are being studied in early-phase clinical trials, but have not been evaluated in phase 3 studies and are not FDA-approved for treatment at this time 1.
Some key points to consider in the management of HSV-1 include:
- The importance of asking patients about their history of HSV infection before commencing immunosuppressive therapy 1
- The consideration of routine prophylaxis to suppress virus replication for patients with frequent recurrent attacks 1
- The use of antiviral medications such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famcyclovir to reduce the severity and duration of outbreaks 1
- The potential for new antivirals such as helicase-primase inhibitors to be used in the treatment of HSV-1 in the future 1
From the Research
Herpes Simplex 1 Vaccine Availability in India
- There is no widely approved vaccine for Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) available in India, as stated in the study 2.
- The development of a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine to prevent the complications of HSV reactivation is ongoing, with various promising candidates in the pre-clinical and clinical phases of study 2.
- A study from 2023 discusses the burden of herpes zoster disease in India and the need for a targeted immunization program, but it does not mention the availability of an HSV-1 vaccine in India 3.
- Another study from 2022 reports a case of HSV-1 infection following COVID-19 vaccination in an Asian Indian female, but it does not provide information on the availability of an HSV-1 vaccine in India 4.
- Research has shown that immunization with a replication-defective herpes simplex virus 2 mutant can reduce HSV-1 infection and prevent ocular disease, but this is not a commercially available vaccine in India 5.
- A recent review article highlights the lack of licensed prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against HSV, including HSV-1, and discusses ongoing developments in vaccine technologies 6.