Derived from a local herb, the medicine has been seen to work well in both animal and laboratory studies.

Buoyed by this development, the researchers moved another step and formulated the drug into a cream , which is now under pilot production.  

When applied three times a day on lesions caused by the herpes virus, the cream was able to clear them completely. Under exploration is how to produce a pill for oral use.

Scientists have been studying the herb for close to 10 years to convince themselves of its therapeutic properties against the herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2.  

They discovered its medicinal properties in rather an accidental way while researching on other medicinal herbs collected from Eastern Province.

Clinical trials

In 2007, their formulation was patented with the Kenya Intellectual Property Rights Institute. The government through the National Council of Science and Technology has allocated some monies to the programme.

The scientists are now planning for human clinical trials which if successful could move the drug into the commercial market.

If the clinical trials are successful and large scale production is needed, they will have to rely on farmers to grow the herb on commercial basis. The herb is found in Eastern Province, according to Dr Jennifer Orwa, principal research officer at Kemri.

Herpes simplex virus is sexually transmitted and a leading cause of genital ulcers. Symptoms include genital irritation, ulcers, vaginal discharge, and painful urination.

The lesions left by the virus and its ability to attract immune cells that provide easy entry to HIV provides an easy target.

Kenya Aids Indicator Survey 2007 shows more than seven million Kenyans are infected with the virus, known to provide the right environment for HIV infection.

“The rates of HSV-2 in Kenya are much higher than general population estimates for most countries in other regions of the world,” says the study.

In sub-Saharan Africa, 47 per cent of the new HIV infections are attributable to HSV-2. Kenya falls in this category.

According to KAIS, about seven million Kenyans aged between 15 and 64 years are infected with the virus.

Infected

The most affected are women and uncircumcised men, who are 1.5 times more likely to be infected than other men.

Statistics on women show that 42 per cent of those aged 15-64 years were infected with HSV-2 compared to 26 per cent men.

The researchers think this high burden of HSV-2 among women may explain why they lead with HIV infections.

When it comes to circumcision, about 39 per cent of uncircumcised men were infected with HSV-2 virus compared to 24 per cent of circumcised men. 

Interestingly, the KAIS study found HIV prevalence among uncircumcised men to be three to five times higher than among the circumcised ones. 

Eight times

Scientists say the foreskin on the head of the penis harbour the right environment for viral and fungal infections to take place, hence the vulnerability of uncircumcised men.

By and large, HIV infection was eight times more likely among persons infected with the virus than the uninfected ones.

At 49 per cent, Nyanza Province recorded the highest prevalence of HSV-2, followed by Coast, 39.6 per cent; Western, 38.7 per cent; Nairobi 36.1 per cent, Rift Valley 33.7 per cent; Eastern, 28.6 per cent; Central, 27.9 per cent and North Eastern, 6.7 per cent. 

In Nyanza Province, notes KAIS study, more than one in four new HIV infections can be directly attributed to the HSV-2.

Nature

HIV prevalence in these provinces follows the same pattern, with Nyanza Province leading with 15.3 per cent, followed by Nairobi 9 per cent; Coast, 7.9 per cent; Rift Valley 7 per cent; Western 5.1 per cent; Eastern 4.7 per cent; Central 3.8 per cent; and North Eastern 1 per cent.

At the moment, the herpes virus is seriously compromising the efforts of the government and civil society to fight HIV/Aids and reduce the rate of infections. 

By its nature, many infected people do not know they have it and how vulnerable they are to HIV infection.

AWC-Features