[Treatment of recurrent herpes labialis using a herpes simplex Type-I subunit vaccine. A prospective randomized double-blind multicenter study].

A herpes simplex type I subunit vaccine developed by Behring-Werke (Marburg/Lahn, FRG) was compared with placebo for therapeutic effectiveness in the treatment of recurrent orolabial herpes simplex in a multicentre study involving the major hospitals in Frankfurt/Main (n = 34), Hamburg (n = 18), Giessen (n = 17) und Kassel (n = 14). The effectiveness of the vaccine was judged on the reduction in the frequency of recurrences. Within the period of the 8-month study there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of recurrences with vaccine or placebo. Both placebo and verum led to a significant decrease in the number of recurrences of orolabial herpes simplex, but the effect of placebo was slightly more pronounced.