Rochester, NY (07/21/03) -- A few years ago, researchers studying a vaccine for herpes discovered that it worked on women only. Now, researchers at the University of Rochester want to find out why.

The vaccine is an injection that targets specific proteins from the herpes virus.

Dr. John Treanor of the University of Rochester said, "We really need to come up with strategies to control this because it's become a problem among young women and this vaccine is the most promising thing we have going on right now."

The study will be going on for three years.

If researchers find that the vaccine is 90 percent effective, then it's possible that doctors will recommend that children will be given the vaccine as a preventative measure starting at age 10.
 
However, if the efficacy is much lower, at about 40 percent, then it would be back to the drawing board.

Dr. Treanor said they are looking for about 300 women, aged 18 to 30--who are sexually active, but do not have herpes for the study.

For more information, call the University of Rochester at (585) 273-3990.

Dr. Mark Cohen treats adults and children. He said anyone can get herpes at any time.

"The main reason to develop a vaccine against herpes is to prevent the problems that adults who get it later in life from getting genital herpes," he said.

Some parents have mixed feelings about vaccinating children against a sexually transmitted disease. They don't want them to get the disease, but wonder if children will interpret the vaccination as permission to have sex before marriage.

Parent Jennifer Stratton, said, "I feel that gives them a license to do things that aren't morally good. We set standards in our family--and one of the standards is you're married before you have sex."

Another parent, Sharon Stafford, said, "You don't want to think of them doing it, but you don't want them getting diseases if you do, so I'm torn whether or not to get the vaccine."

Some parents said they would still let their children get the vaccine.

Dean Russell said, "Why wouldn't I have my kids have [the vaccine] if it's going to prevent something--[just] like smallpox. It's the same with herpes...why not?"

Dr. Cohen said, "I think the right message is you need the appropriate education for whatever you do, and if there is a safe vaccine to use, it could prevent problems down the line."

It will take a significant amount of time to finish the trials and decide if the vaccine works and even more time to put routine vaccinations in place, which will give parents time to study the issue.