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No “Link between herpes in pregnancy and autism”

You may have read some headlines in the Sun or the Mail, etc. They report “‘Women infected with herpes while they are pregnant are twice as likely to have a child with autism.” This headline comes from a study looking at whether maternal infections during pregnancy are associated with the risk of neurological developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Continue reading No “Link between herpes in pregnancy and autism”

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Dates for the diary

“Dates for the diary” now has its own page

Go to Events

We organise a support groups/social get-togethers – mostly in London. The hosts for these events are people with herpes.  You can meet others with the virus, share experiences…

We hold informal, interactive days when you can learn how to talk to a new partner.  These events – next one on Saturday, 17 February, 2018 – are extremely popular. The usual  comment from people who attend is always something like: “I wish I had gone to one of these sooner…”

And a formal seminar – once a year – with a doctor who is expert in genital herpes.  We always ask the doctor to be sure to allow time for answering all your questions. Next one is on May 12th, 2018.

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When the media gets it wrong!

Daily Mail confuses different herpes viruses

Do you know the difference between genital herpes (caused by herpes simplex types 1 or 2) and glandular fever (caused humanherpes virus 4 i.e. Epstein Barr virus)? Of course you do, but the Daily Mail doesn’t! On 20th July 2016, health writer Mia De Graaf confused these viruses and also Kaposi’s sarcoma virus (humanherpes virus 8). Herpes simplex is not, ever involved in cancer-causing activities, HHV 4 and 8 are. Simples!
Continue reading When the media gets it wrong!

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The Sun’s Story About a Baby and a Cold Sore

The Sun (23-9-15) Wrote About a Mum Who is Asking People Not to Kiss New Babies

Because Claire Henderson had never had a cold sore (or any other herpes simplex virus) her baby did not have any antibody protection when someone with a cold sore kissed baby Brooke.  The newborn baby became very ill. Luckily, the hospital put the baby on an aciclovir drip and this ensured that she made a full recovery.

If you have genital herpes, cold sores, or whitlows (on the finger), your new babies have ‘borrowed’ antibody protection that will last them until they are old enough to catch things without danger.  So you do not have to worry about infecting your baby.

Since no one knows the antibody status of a new baby, don’t kiss a baby that is not yours!

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Confidentiality at Clinics…

There has been a law since 1917 that ensures that information about you – when you visit a sexual health clinic – is kept confidential. The government is proposing to scrap this law and replace it with woolly rules on confidentiality… Read more about this on our blog. Or go straight to the (short) survey organised by BASHH (sexual health doctors’ organisation).

Send the survey on to anyone else you think will help.