HERPES-SIMPLEX AND MOOD - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

The effect of mood, the common cold, amount of sleep, and sunshine on recurring herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection was investigated using daily self-reports over a 3-month period from 23 female and 15 male pa tients with genital herpes and 26 female and two male patients with or al herpes. Results showed recurring genital HSV infection to be preced ed by reduced and decreasing overall emotional well being over a perio d of 10 days, with a temporary improvement in the middle of the period . This pattern was significantly represented by rated nervousness and rated alertness. Females showed more marked trends for reported mood t han did the males, which could not be attributed to the menstrual cycl e. Conversely, males showed a more marked, strongly significant fourth -order trend for reported amount of sleep, with nadirs on the 8th and the 3rd day before the recurrence. Neither exposure to sunshine nor th e common cold showed any relation to recurrence of genital HSV infecti on. The common cold appeared as the major precipitating factor in oral herpes. Except for a significant fourth-order trend for rated alertne ss, no relationship between mood and subsequent onset was found. This negative finding was interpreted as a masking effect of the common col d. Two alternative physiological theories, the ganglion trigger theory and the skin trigger theory, were discussed in relation to present fi ndings. It was suggested that various possible mediators between mood states and recurring herpes should be investigated using the present a pproach, with structured diaries as complement to the rating scales. K ey words: Ganglion trigger theory, genital herpes, mood, oral herpes, skin trigger theory, sleep, well being.