Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhere Research StandsExisting VaccinesDevelopment PrioritiesBarriers and SuccessesFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Where Research Stands
Existing Vaccines
Development Priorities
Barriers and Successes
Frequently Asked Questions
The search for a vaccine to protect againstoral and genital herpeshas been a long one. Researchers have been experimenting with possible vaccines since at least the early 1930s. To date, they’ve seen little success. While herpes vaccines have been successful in mice, they’ve been largely unsuccessful in human trials.
This article explains the steps that have been taken thus far to develop vaccines for oral and genital herpes, the reasons why these vaccines are important, and the roadblocks keeping researchers from better preventing or controlling herpes infections.
David Mack / Getty Images
Where Herpes Vaccine Research Stands
Although some vaccines for these herpes types have initially appeared to have promise, stringent testing has shown them to be no better than a sham vaccine, orplacebo.
With that said, newer approaches to vaccine development—including genetic editing—have begun to show promise in early-stage animal research, offering a glimpse of hope of a possible breakthrough.
What Does Herpes Look Like?
Existing Herpes Vaccines
Technically speaking, there are already herpes vaccines on the market. They just don’t protect you fromherpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1(the type most commonly associated with oral herpes)orHSV type 2(the type most commonly associated with genital herpes).
Rather, the two vaccines currently available protect against atype of herpes virusknown asvaricella-zostervirus (VZV),more commonly called thechickenpoxvirus.
Once a chickenpox infection resolves, the virus remains in a dormant (latent) state. It does so in a cluster of nerve cells called the dorsal rootganglion, where it could reactivate later in life. If it does, it causesshingles(herpes zoster).
Theshingles vaccineandchickenpox vaccineboth guard against the virus, but in different ways:
These are similar to the two types of vaccines that have been proposed to protect against oral and genital herpes. One type aims to prevent the virus from infecting people who’ve never had it, while the other aims to protect against outbreaks in people who already have herpes.
Protecting people who have had herpes from future outbreaks is important because once you’re infected with a herpes virus, it stays in your body forever. It goes dormant, but can suddenly reactivate at any point, bringing on symptoms again.
An adult in their 60s, for example, might develop shingles due to a reactivation of VZV that they acquired when they had chickenpox as a child.
Oral and genital herpes outbreaks can recur in the same way.
RecapThe chickenpox vaccine protects you from a type of herpes. The shingles vaccine protects you from reactivation of that same virus. However, this is not the type of herpes associated with oral or genital cases.
Recap
The chickenpox vaccine protects you from a type of herpes. The shingles vaccine protects you from reactivation of that same virus. However, this is not the type of herpes associated with oral or genital cases.
How the Chickenpox Virus and Herpes Simplex Differ
Herpes Vaccine Priorities
Theoretically, it makes sense that a vaccine could work to prevent oral and genital herpes outbreaks. After all, in many people, the immune system controls herpes infections so that they never have symptoms.
This makes herpes a good target for atherapeutic vaccine—that is, one that treats rather than prevents disease. However, the herpes simplex viruses have proven to be difficult to control with vaccines.
In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined a series of priorities for developing a herpes vaccine:
The WHO suggests that two types of vaccines could be useful for herpes simplex infections:
How Contagious Is HSV-1 Genitally?
RecapDeveloping vaccines that can prevent oral or genital herpes infection and reactivation are worldwide goals. This is not just because of a desire to reduce complications of HSV itself, but to address the increased risk of HIV infection that comes with genital herpes.
Developing vaccines that can prevent oral or genital herpes infection and reactivation are worldwide goals. This is not just because of a desire to reduce complications of HSV itself, but to address the increased risk of HIV infection that comes with genital herpes.
Some promising trials of herpes vaccines have been performed. However, to date, no human trials have shown high enough efficacy to bring a herpes vaccine to market.
Challenges
Scientists have several hurdles to face when developing a vaccine to protect against oral or genital herpes.
No animal model perfectly replicates HSV infection in humans. Several vaccine candidates have shown promise in animal studies but have, thus far, not been effective in clinical trials in humans.
Aside from mice, rabbits and guinea pigs are also being used to develop therapeutic herpes vaccines (for eye and genital herpes, respectively). Early results have been promising, but current animal models still don’t do a great job of showing how the disease progresses in humans.
Herpes vaccines are also difficult to study for several other practical reasons:
Addressing any of these factors can make vaccine trials slow-going, burdensome, impractical, and expensive.
Advances
A 2020 study from researchers from the University of Cincinnati, Northwestern University, and the University of Nebraska-Lincolnoffers hope of a possible breakthrough.
According to the research, a genetically modified form of herpes simplex virus type 1 was able to prevent symptoms of herpes simplex virus type 2 in guinea pigs. The response was far more robust than seen with any herpes vaccine study to date. It significantly slowed the virus’s replication and showed less viral shedding.
Another research team at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine proposed the use of lasers as part of the vaccination procedure. Their goal was to stimulate the development of immune cells in the layers of the skin where herpes reactivation occurs.
The procedure involved mice. It, too, showed promise in preventing genital herpes, improving the effect of an experimental vaccine.
Although it’s far too soon to tell whether the studies will lead to a successful vaccine, these advances are considered significant.
RecapThe lack of a vaccine for oral or genital herpes is not for a lack of effort. Several issues, including the poor translation of results in animals to results in humans, have made development challenging.
The lack of a vaccine for oral or genital herpes is not for a lack of effort. Several issues, including the poor translation of results in animals to results in humans, have made development challenging.
Summary
Putting an end to oral and genital herpes would have a far-reaching impact on the health of people around the world. The virus increases the risk of HIV, affects fertility, and places significant psychological and physical stress on those infected.
Unfortunately, there are a number of barriers to developing a vaccine. First, it’s hard to find people who are able to participate in the studies needed to test possible vaccines. Also, people who are infected may not have symptoms, which makes it more complicated to tell whether a vaccine is effective.
A Word From Verywell
Fortunately, you have other options for reducing the risk of transmission as research on herpes vaccines continues. Both suppressive therapy and reliably practicing safer sex can help protect the sexual partners of people with HSV infections.
Frequently Asked QuestionsNo. The herpes zoster vaccine protects you against shingles (herpes zoster), a viral infection that is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus.There is currently no vaccine to protect against genital or oral herpes.Learn MoreLiving with HerpesNo.However, antiviral medications may prevent or reduce the severity of an oral or genital herpes outbreak.There is some evidence that certain types of oils can ease a herpes outbreak. For instance, oregano oil has been shown to have antiviral properties that act on HSV. But more research is needed to know if these will actually shorten an outbreak.
No. The herpes zoster vaccine protects you against shingles (herpes zoster), a viral infection that is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus.There is currently no vaccine to protect against genital or oral herpes.Learn MoreLiving with Herpes
No. The herpes zoster vaccine protects you against shingles (herpes zoster), a viral infection that is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus.There is currently no vaccine to protect against genital or oral herpes.
Learn MoreLiving with Herpes
No.However, antiviral medications may prevent or reduce the severity of an oral or genital herpes outbreak.
There is some evidence that certain types of oils can ease a herpes outbreak. For instance, oregano oil has been shown to have antiviral properties that act on HSV. But more research is needed to know if these will actually shorten an outbreak.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ghiasi H.Highly efficacious novel vaccine, humoral immunity, and ocular herpes simplex virus 1: reality or myth?J Virol. 2017;91(23). doi:10.1128/JVI.01421-17Crimi S, Florillo L, Bianchi A. et al.Herpes virus, oral clinical signs and QoL: systematic review of recent data.Viruses. 2019 May;11(5):463. doi:10.3390/v11050463Wang L, Zhu L, Zhu H.Efficacy of varicella (VZV) vaccination: an update for the clinician.Ther Adv Vaccines. 2016;4(1-2):20-31. doi:10.1177/2051013616655980Gabutti G, Bolognesi N, Sandri F, Flourescu C, Stefanati A.Varicella zoster virus vaccines: an update.Immunotargets Ther.2019;8:15-28. doi:10.2147/ITT.S176383National Institutes of Health.Herpes can happen to anyone.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital herpes.Gottlieb SL, Giersing BK, Hickling J, et al.Meeting report: Initial World Health Organization consultation on herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine preferred product characteristics, March 2017.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7408-7418. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.084Spicknall IH, Looker KJ, Gottlieb SL, et al.Review of mathematical models of HSV-2 vaccination: Implications for vaccine development.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7396-7407. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.02.067Kuo T, Wang C, Badakshan T, Chilikuri S, BenMohamed L.The challenges and opportunities for development of a T-Cell epitope-based herpes simplex vaccine.Vaccine.2014 Nov 28;32(50):6733-45. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.10.002Gottlieb SL, Johnston C.Future prospects for new vaccines against sexually transmitted infections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2017;30(1):77-86. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000343Bernstein DI, Cardin RD, Smith GA, et al.The R2 non-neuroinvasive HSV-1 vaccine affords protection from genital HSV-2 infections in a guinea pig model.npj Vaccines, 2020:5(1):104. doi:10.1038/s41541-020-00254-8Lopes PP, Todorov G, Pham TT, Nesburn AB, Bahraoui E, Benmohamed L.Laser adjuvant-assisted peptide vaccine promotes skin mobilization of dendritic cells and enhances protective CD8 T and T cell responses against herpesvirus infection and disease.J Virol. 2018;92(8). doi:10.1128/JVI.02156-17MedlinePlus.Genital herpes.FDA.Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers.Cleveland Clinic.Genital herpes.Wang L, Wang D, Wu X, Xu R, Li Y.Antiviral mechanism of carvacrol on HSV-2 infectivity through inhibition of RIP3-mediated programmed cell necrosis pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome system in BSC-1 cells.BMC Infect Dis. 2020;20(1):832. doi:10.1186/s12879-020-05556-9Additional ReadingAwasthi S, Friedman HM.Status of prophylactic and therapeutic genital herpes vaccines.Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Jun;6:6-12. doi:10.1016/j.coviro.2014.02.006Rajčáni J, Bánáti F, Szenthe K, Szathmary S.The potential of currently unavailable herpes virus vaccines.Expert Rev Vaccines. 2018 Mar;17(3):239-248. doi: 10.1080/14760584.2018.1425620World Health Organization.WHO preferred product characteristics for herpes simplex virus vaccines.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ghiasi H.Highly efficacious novel vaccine, humoral immunity, and ocular herpes simplex virus 1: reality or myth?J Virol. 2017;91(23). doi:10.1128/JVI.01421-17Crimi S, Florillo L, Bianchi A. et al.Herpes virus, oral clinical signs and QoL: systematic review of recent data.Viruses. 2019 May;11(5):463. doi:10.3390/v11050463Wang L, Zhu L, Zhu H.Efficacy of varicella (VZV) vaccination: an update for the clinician.Ther Adv Vaccines. 2016;4(1-2):20-31. doi:10.1177/2051013616655980Gabutti G, Bolognesi N, Sandri F, Flourescu C, Stefanati A.Varicella zoster virus vaccines: an update.Immunotargets Ther.2019;8:15-28. doi:10.2147/ITT.S176383National Institutes of Health.Herpes can happen to anyone.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital herpes.Gottlieb SL, Giersing BK, Hickling J, et al.Meeting report: Initial World Health Organization consultation on herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine preferred product characteristics, March 2017.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7408-7418. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.084Spicknall IH, Looker KJ, Gottlieb SL, et al.Review of mathematical models of HSV-2 vaccination: Implications for vaccine development.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7396-7407. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.02.067Kuo T, Wang C, Badakshan T, Chilikuri S, BenMohamed L.The challenges and opportunities for development of a T-Cell epitope-based herpes simplex vaccine.Vaccine.2014 Nov 28;32(50):6733-45. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.10.002Gottlieb SL, Johnston C.Future prospects for new vaccines against sexually transmitted infections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2017;30(1):77-86. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000343Bernstein DI, Cardin RD, Smith GA, et al.The R2 non-neuroinvasive HSV-1 vaccine affords protection from genital HSV-2 infections in a guinea pig model.npj Vaccines, 2020:5(1):104. doi:10.1038/s41541-020-00254-8Lopes PP, Todorov G, Pham TT, Nesburn AB, Bahraoui E, Benmohamed L.Laser adjuvant-assisted peptide vaccine promotes skin mobilization of dendritic cells and enhances protective CD8 T and T cell responses against herpesvirus infection and disease.J Virol. 2018;92(8). doi:10.1128/JVI.02156-17MedlinePlus.Genital herpes.FDA.Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers.Cleveland Clinic.Genital herpes.Wang L, Wang D, Wu X, Xu R, Li Y.Antiviral mechanism of carvacrol on HSV-2 infectivity through inhibition of RIP3-mediated programmed cell necrosis pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome system in BSC-1 cells.BMC Infect Dis. 2020;20(1):832. doi:10.1186/s12879-020-05556-9Additional ReadingAwasthi S, Friedman HM.Status of prophylactic and therapeutic genital herpes vaccines.Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Jun;6:6-12. doi:10.1016/j.coviro.2014.02.006Rajčáni J, Bánáti F, Szenthe K, Szathmary S.The potential of currently unavailable herpes virus vaccines.Expert Rev Vaccines. 2018 Mar;17(3):239-248. doi: 10.1080/14760584.2018.1425620World Health Organization.WHO preferred product characteristics for herpes simplex virus vaccines.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ghiasi H.Highly efficacious novel vaccine, humoral immunity, and ocular herpes simplex virus 1: reality or myth?J Virol. 2017;91(23). doi:10.1128/JVI.01421-17Crimi S, Florillo L, Bianchi A. et al.Herpes virus, oral clinical signs and QoL: systematic review of recent data.Viruses. 2019 May;11(5):463. doi:10.3390/v11050463Wang L, Zhu L, Zhu H.Efficacy of varicella (VZV) vaccination: an update for the clinician.Ther Adv Vaccines. 2016;4(1-2):20-31. doi:10.1177/2051013616655980Gabutti G, Bolognesi N, Sandri F, Flourescu C, Stefanati A.Varicella zoster virus vaccines: an update.Immunotargets Ther.2019;8:15-28. doi:10.2147/ITT.S176383National Institutes of Health.Herpes can happen to anyone.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital herpes.Gottlieb SL, Giersing BK, Hickling J, et al.Meeting report: Initial World Health Organization consultation on herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine preferred product characteristics, March 2017.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7408-7418. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.084Spicknall IH, Looker KJ, Gottlieb SL, et al.Review of mathematical models of HSV-2 vaccination: Implications for vaccine development.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7396-7407. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.02.067Kuo T, Wang C, Badakshan T, Chilikuri S, BenMohamed L.The challenges and opportunities for development of a T-Cell epitope-based herpes simplex vaccine.Vaccine.2014 Nov 28;32(50):6733-45. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.10.002Gottlieb SL, Johnston C.Future prospects for new vaccines against sexually transmitted infections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2017;30(1):77-86. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000343Bernstein DI, Cardin RD, Smith GA, et al.The R2 non-neuroinvasive HSV-1 vaccine affords protection from genital HSV-2 infections in a guinea pig model.npj Vaccines, 2020:5(1):104. doi:10.1038/s41541-020-00254-8Lopes PP, Todorov G, Pham TT, Nesburn AB, Bahraoui E, Benmohamed L.Laser adjuvant-assisted peptide vaccine promotes skin mobilization of dendritic cells and enhances protective CD8 T and T cell responses against herpesvirus infection and disease.J Virol. 2018;92(8). doi:10.1128/JVI.02156-17MedlinePlus.Genital herpes.FDA.Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers.Cleveland Clinic.Genital herpes.Wang L, Wang D, Wu X, Xu R, Li Y.Antiviral mechanism of carvacrol on HSV-2 infectivity through inhibition of RIP3-mediated programmed cell necrosis pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome system in BSC-1 cells.BMC Infect Dis. 2020;20(1):832. doi:10.1186/s12879-020-05556-9
Ghiasi H.Highly efficacious novel vaccine, humoral immunity, and ocular herpes simplex virus 1: reality or myth?J Virol. 2017;91(23). doi:10.1128/JVI.01421-17
Crimi S, Florillo L, Bianchi A. et al.Herpes virus, oral clinical signs and QoL: systematic review of recent data.Viruses. 2019 May;11(5):463. doi:10.3390/v11050463
Wang L, Zhu L, Zhu H.Efficacy of varicella (VZV) vaccination: an update for the clinician.Ther Adv Vaccines. 2016;4(1-2):20-31. doi:10.1177/2051013616655980
Gabutti G, Bolognesi N, Sandri F, Flourescu C, Stefanati A.Varicella zoster virus vaccines: an update.Immunotargets Ther.2019;8:15-28. doi:10.2147/ITT.S176383
National Institutes of Health.Herpes can happen to anyone.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital herpes.
Gottlieb SL, Giersing BK, Hickling J, et al.Meeting report: Initial World Health Organization consultation on herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine preferred product characteristics, March 2017.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7408-7418. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.084
Spicknall IH, Looker KJ, Gottlieb SL, et al.Review of mathematical models of HSV-2 vaccination: Implications for vaccine development.Vaccine. 2019;37(50):7396-7407. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.02.067
Kuo T, Wang C, Badakshan T, Chilikuri S, BenMohamed L.The challenges and opportunities for development of a T-Cell epitope-based herpes simplex vaccine.Vaccine.2014 Nov 28;32(50):6733-45. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.10.002
Gottlieb SL, Johnston C.Future prospects for new vaccines against sexually transmitted infections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2017;30(1):77-86. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000343
Bernstein DI, Cardin RD, Smith GA, et al.The R2 non-neuroinvasive HSV-1 vaccine affords protection from genital HSV-2 infections in a guinea pig model.npj Vaccines, 2020:5(1):104. doi:10.1038/s41541-020-00254-8
Lopes PP, Todorov G, Pham TT, Nesburn AB, Bahraoui E, Benmohamed L.Laser adjuvant-assisted peptide vaccine promotes skin mobilization of dendritic cells and enhances protective CD8 T and T cell responses against herpesvirus infection and disease.J Virol. 2018;92(8). doi:10.1128/JVI.02156-17
MedlinePlus.Genital herpes.
FDA.Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers.
Cleveland Clinic.Genital herpes.
Wang L, Wang D, Wu X, Xu R, Li Y.Antiviral mechanism of carvacrol on HSV-2 infectivity through inhibition of RIP3-mediated programmed cell necrosis pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome system in BSC-1 cells.BMC Infect Dis. 2020;20(1):832. doi:10.1186/s12879-020-05556-9
Awasthi S, Friedman HM.Status of prophylactic and therapeutic genital herpes vaccines.Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Jun;6:6-12. doi:10.1016/j.coviro.2014.02.006Rajčáni J, Bánáti F, Szenthe K, Szathmary S.The potential of currently unavailable herpes virus vaccines.Expert Rev Vaccines. 2018 Mar;17(3):239-248. doi: 10.1080/14760584.2018.1425620World Health Organization.WHO preferred product characteristics for herpes simplex virus vaccines.
Awasthi S, Friedman HM.Status of prophylactic and therapeutic genital herpes vaccines.Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Jun;6:6-12. doi:10.1016/j.coviro.2014.02.006
Rajčáni J, Bánáti F, Szenthe K, Szathmary S.The potential of currently unavailable herpes virus vaccines.Expert Rev Vaccines. 2018 Mar;17(3):239-248. doi: 10.1080/14760584.2018.1425620
World Health Organization.WHO preferred product characteristics for herpes simplex virus vaccines.
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