Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503030064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BREEA WILLINGHAM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There's one problem: lack of patients to test new drugs.
``Shingles doesn't happen every day, but we want to say, `Hey, there is treatment available,' '' said Dr. Charles Schleupner, a member of the study group who specializes in infectious diseases at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem.
The group is trying to find patients who have had the rash less than two to three days to test a new drug.
Shingles occurs most commonly in people over 50. Anyone who has had chicken pox, which is caused by the same herpes virus, potentially could develop shingles.
``Once you're infected with any kind of herpes, you're infected for life,'' Schleupner said.
``The virus remains quiet in the ganglion area near the spinal cord. The virus starts to reactivate in this area and follows the nerve to the skin of the chest, pain occurs, then blisters appear,'' he said.
According to a pamphlet on shingles produced by the infectious disease center at the VA medical center, symptoms of shingles usually appear before the rash begins. The first symptom is burning, tingling, pain or extreme sensitivity in one area of the skin.
One to three days later, a red rash develops, then becomes a group of blisters. People with shingles usually experience great discomfort and pain, which can last for months.
``After 10 to 20 days, the blisters heal, but the pain frequently lasts a couple weeks beyond complete healing,'' Schleupner said. ``When the pain lingers, patients suffer from what is called post-herpetic neuralgia, but it's rare that patients have indefinite pain.''
Two drugs have been developed to treat shingles and ease patients' pain and discomfort. One is acyclovir, an antiviral drug used to treat cold sores and genital herpes that also blocks the multiplication of the virus that causes shingles.
The study group wants to test the experimental Bromo-vinyl-arabinosyl-uracil, or BV-araU, which Schleupner said is 1,000 to 3,000 times more powerful than acyclovir.
``We give 800 milligrams of acyclovir five times a day; but with BV-araU, we only give 40 milligrams once a day,'' he said.
The study group will choose patients at random to receive either acyclovir or BV-araU.
``We want to see how patients react to each drug, and compare the results and follow patients after they're completely healed to show when the pain stops,'' Schleupner said.
``We will provide complete care, free of charge, and you don't have to be a vet to get treatment.''
For more information, contact Mary L. Barritt at the medical center at 982-2463, ext. 1461.
by CNB