An observational study in Anogenital Herpes, COVID-19 and Herpes Labialis, sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 6 Months to 120 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-29.
Sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · Observational
Background:
- Viral infections are an important cause of illness and death in hospitalized patients as well as outpatients. New strains of viruses may appear and infect both healthy people and those with weak immune systems. A better understanding of these new virus strains (such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19) may help to control and prevent these infections. In particular, some viral infections that are less problematic in healthy persons can be life threatening in persons with weak immune systems, and viruses may be able to evolve more rapidly in persons with weak immune systems and therefore develop resistance to existing treatments. Researchers are interested in collecting samples and information from otherwise healthy persons or persons with weak immune systems to study the effects of viruses and their development.
Objectives:
- To collect samples and data from individuals who have been exposed to or have contracted viral infections.
Eligibility:
Design:
Viral infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients as well as out-patients. New strains of viruses may appear and cause epidemics in healthy persons or immunocompromised persons. A better understanding of these new virus strains may help to control and prevent these infections. Some viral infections that would otherwise be asymptomatic or cause mild disease can be life threatening in immunocompromised persons.
Immunocompromised persons often shed high titers of virus for prolonged periods of time. In the absence of a potent immune system, viruses may evolve more rapidly in their hosts.
Therefore, analysis of sequential virus specimens from these patients can provide information on virus evolution, including how resistance to antiviral agents can develop. In addition, higher titers of virus may be associated with virus mutants that are more adapted to grow in cell culture. In this protocol we will obtain specimens containing viruses from otherwise healthy or immunocompromised patients over sequential periods of time to study their nucleic acid sequences, sensitivity to antiviral agents, cell types infected by the virus, and ability to grow in cell culture. In some cases, we will review tissue biopsies or clinical reports from outside laboratories to assist with the diagnosis of virus-associated diseases. We will also record the patient s signs and symptoms, take a short history or ask patients to fill out a questionnaire, note results of any pertinent laboratory work-up, and in some cases, obtain blood to measure immune responses, isolate antibodies or virus-specific T cells, or to look for viremia. This study will include patients with viral infections and/or receiving viral vaccines. This study should provide further understanding on how viruses evolve in their natural hosts, how they become resistant to antiviral agents, how antibody responses evolve to viruses, and might allow some currently uncultivatable viruses to be grown in cell culture.
7,990 studies on the registry are indexed under COVID-19; 466 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 1,000 is above the median of 268 across 3,208 observational studies indexed under COVID-19.
Browse COVID-19 studies →National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is the lead sponsor of 2,446 studies on the registry; 179 are open to participants now.
Of its 405 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 302 (75%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The criteria were revised on the registry on Oct 26, 2026. See what changed
Healthy or immunocompromised subjects with viral infections, or suspected of having a viral infection, or recovering from a viral infection, or a close contact of someone who has had or is suspected to have had an acute or chronic viral infection. Subjects may either be at the Clinical Center or samples may be sent to LID directly from subjects enrolled at non-NIH sites.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
The protocol is open to people of all ages;
a. Persons having (or be suspected of having) a viral infection that is of interest to LID investigators.
b. Persons that are a close contact of someone who has (or is suspected of having) a viral infection that is of interest to LID investigators or is about to receive or have recently received a viral vaccine.
c. Persons that may have had a recent viral infection that is of interest to LID investigators that has since cleared
d. Healthy persons who will serve as controls for (a), (b), or (c) above. These persons will be 18 years of age or older and able to provide .
EXCLUSION CRITERIA
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
NIH campus employees who have recently recovered from COVID-19
Clinical Center health care workers and ancillary staff who have close patient contact and possible exposures to SARS-CoV-2
Healthy and immunocompromised subjects who have or are suspected to have a viral infection
Healthy and immunocompromised subjects exposed to someone who has a viral infection or is suspected of having a viral infection
Healthy subjects who grew up in dengue endemic areas.
Healthy subjects with a history of viral hepatitis
Sample collection, analysis of immune function, or review of tissue biopsies or clinical reports from outside laboratories in designated populations with viral infections, suspected of having a viral infection, recovered from a viral infection o...
January 2031
Time frame: open-ended
Started Mar 2011 (actual).
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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