Overview
The purpose of this pilot study is to determine if the use of Purell hand sanitizer alters the duration, level of pain and discomfort during treatment, and the size of the HSV-1 lesion. The duration of an HSV-1 (herpes) lesion is the primary endpoint for this study. Size, pain, and discomfort are the secondary endpoints.
Description
The participants will be divided into a control group (10 participants) and treatment group (10 participants) and will be given either the Purell hand sanitizer (treatment group) or medical grade mineral oil (control group) to treat the lesion. Participants will apply a large drop of the product (purell hand sanitizer or mineral oil) on a q-tip and will hold the q-tip on the lesion for 10 seconds. Participants will be instructed to apply a solution to lesion every waking hour for the next 14 days or until lesion has healed. Each day the participant will fill out the daily journal. The journal includes a measurement in millimeters of the lesion with graph paper, recorded number of applications for that day, and two visual analog scales- one measuring any discomfort from the lesion and the other recording the pain during the application process.
Documentation of changes to the lesion will be recorded in a daily journal until the lesion is healed. There are two days that the participants are expected to return to the clinic for re-examination at day three and the last day when the lesion has healed, or the crust has fallen off. Pictures of the lesion will taken at these two points in time.
The duration the HSV-1 lesion, level of pain and discomfort during treatment, and the size of the HSV-1 lesion will be statistically measured between the control group (mineral oil) and the treatment group (purell hand sanitizer) to determine if there is any statistical difference between the two groups.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
For the purpose of this study participants must be:
- in the early prodromal stage of an HSV-1 outbreak (less than 24 hours from initial symptom)
- have a visible manifestation of a lesion
- be 18 years or older
- capable of following daily treatment instructions
- willing to complete a daily journal
- willing to come to the clinic twice for records and pictures during the14 days that the lesion is present or until participant is free of lesion.
Exclusion Criteria:
For the purpose of this study participants cannot:
- be immunocompromised
- be pregnant
- have taken any antiviral medication within the last two weeks
- have used any creams in the last ten days.