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Abstract
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is a major public health concern, with up to 65% of the population showing evidence of infection age 40. The virus results in a multitude of common infections including oral herpes labialis, genital herpes, herpes encephalitis and Bell's Palsy. Infection typically occurs in childhood from parent to child. This initial infection is usually the most severe with symptoms of fever and painful ulcerations.
During the primary infection or reactivation, the virus can spread rapidly. The host is susceptible to reactivation during times of stress. The virus wakes and causes a rash. Less likely, reactivation leads to a spread of the virus into the Central Nervous System causing life-threatening encephalitis.
If infection could be prevented, patients would not have to experience these negative health conditions. A study of antiviral prophylaxis (preventative therapy) of at risk individuals has yet to be performed, even though it is used for other high-risk populations. The incidence of HSV after facial resurfacing procedures is thought to be between 3% and 50%. Antivirals have become standard of care for facial resurfacing after studies showed that incidence decreased to <1% with prophylactic treatment. University of California studied the incidence of HSV in their burn population using a similar practice by looking at age, burn size, length of hospital stay and time on ventilator. This published study revealed a 30% rate of HSV activation, which affected length of ventilator use and hospitalization. We believe that HSV in our population of burn patients will be large and that antiviral prophylaxis will significantly reduce the incidence of HSV in the burn population.
The primary goal of our study will be to find if antiviral prophylaxis reduces the incidence of HSV infection and reactivation in the burn population. We will also evaluate if viral HSV outbreak lengthens hospital stay or time taken to heal wounds.

Biography
Dr. Michael W. Neumeister is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery and the Elvin G. Zook Endowed Chair in the Institute for Plastic Surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. He joined the SIU faculty in 1997. He is director of the hand surgery fellowship program, Chief of microsurgery and research, and director of the Wound Care Center, Ambulatory Care Center and the Regional Burn Unit at Memorial Medical Center. Prior to joining SIU, Neumeister completed a year fellowship in hand and microsurgery at SIU School of Medicine’s Division Plastic Surgery and a 3 month microsurgery fellowship at Harvard University’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. He completed his residency in plastic surgery at Manitoba University in Winnipeg, Manitoba and his general surgery residency at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Neumeister received his medical degree from the University of Toronto and bachelor’s in Physiology/Pharmacology from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Neumeister is board certified in plastic surgery by both the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Hand Surgery. Dr. Neumeister’s research interests include; tissue engineering, the role of stem cells in reconstruction, ischemia reperfusion, upper extremity reconstruction, peripheral nerve, and burn modulation.