Genital herpes vaccine trial seeking women. (Daunting Task).

As a major trial for a promising genital herpes vaccine gears up, researchers face the daunting task of recruiting enough volunteers.

The trial, a partnership between the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, plans to test the efficacy of the vaccine in 7,550 women aged 18-30 years, who are negative for herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2).

"Finding thousands of HSV-negative women for the new trial will be a significant challenge," said Pamela McInnes, D.D.S., who is deputy director of NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Between 50% and 80% of Americans are infected with HSV-1, while 20% of Americans aged 12 and older are infected with HSV-2, according to NIAID. Previous trials of the vaccine prevented herpes infection in more than 70% of HSV-1- and HSV-2-negative women.

Those trials involved smaller numbers of men and women, who did not have genital herpes but whose sexual partners were infected.

For reasons not understood, the herpes vaccine did not prevent herpes infection in men.

More information on the trial and how women can enroll is available at www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/herpevac/default.htm.