Summary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Joint Workshop on Genital Herpes: 3–4 November 2022

Abstract

Genital herpes is caused by infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively) and currently has no cure. The disease is the second most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S. with an estimated 18.6 million prevalent genital infections caused by HSV-2 alone. Genital herpes diagnostics and treatments are not optimal, and no vaccine is currently available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) convened a workshop entitled “CDC/NIAID Joint Workshop on Genital Herpes”. This report summarizes eight sessions on the epidemiology of genital herpes, HSV diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, cures, prevention, and patient advocacy perspective intended to identify opportunities in herpes research and to foster the development of strategies to diagnose, treat, cure, and prevent genital herpes.