Odds are, you have it. By the age of 40, nearly 90 percent of adults in the United States have been exposed to the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV1) that causes cold sores. Not everyone who has the virus lurking in their body will have symptoms, but those who do will be annoyed for life by unexpected lip blisters. But now the secret of how the cold sore virus manages to persist for a lifetime in the human body may have been cracked [BBC News], and researchers say their findings may point the way towards a treatment that could kill the virus once and for all.
The virus is a difficult target. When a cold sore appears, it’s easily treatable with a drug that kills the replicating virus, but that drug can’t get to the latent versions of the virus that are hiding within nerve cells and waiting to cause the next eruption. Until now, research has generally concentrated on keeping HSV1 inactive — and preventing cold sores from ever showing up. But [Duke University] researchers took the opposite tack: figuring out precisely how to switch the virus from latency to its active stage. That’s important, says lead author Dr. Bryan Cullen, professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke, “because unless you activate the virus, you can’t kill it” [Time].
Researchers discovered that when the virus is latent it produces a strange kind of RNA, a strand of genetic material that’s copied from the virus’s DNA. The RNA in most viruses codes for useful proteins, but researchers discovered that in the herpes virus this RNA strand breaks down into small bits that block the production of proteins, keeping the virus from activating. These findings, published in the journal Nature [subscription required], suggest that if researchers can prevent the RNA from breaking down, they can cause all the latent viruses to become activated, and could then kill them all at once. “Once the virus sticks its head up over the fence, you whack it off for good,” Cullen says. “Yes, the person has to have one last cold sore, but it’d be worth it to most people to cure them forever” [Time].
Researchers caution that there’s a lot of research to be done before anyone can test out a pharmaceutical cure on humans, but say their new understanding of the herpes virus could eventually lead to a host of medical treatments. [T]he findings could apply to the whole range of herpes viruses, including herpes simplex 2, which causes genital herpes, and the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and a more chronic, painful condition known as shingles [HealthDay News].
Image: flickr/spcoon
July 4th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Honestly, I’ve felt there is a lack of info for people suffering from HSV, and this is a great leap foward. I can see a cure coming out withing 5 years, curing everyone of herpes. This could practically wipe out herpes since theres no way for immunity to happen, since they are basically telling the virus to wake up with its own proteins. Then they punch it in the face, hard.
July 6th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I am 46 years old and caught HSV2 (genital herpes) when i was twenty one, for about fifteen years i had regular outbreaks which were very depressing , then i changed my diet to include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and during my last outbreak around six years ago i took 5000mg of Vit C per day , the outbreak was worse than usual but i have never had a recurrance since that day. I am sure that sufferers of this embarrassing condition would do themselves no harm in trying to improve their diet and their immune system , and perhaps try the high dose Vit C until the magic bullet is found.
August 17th, 2008 at 5:05 am
greatings
not bad…
August 19th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I have had HSV since I was a little boy so I have suffered for 25 years. I caught it from sharing my brothers chapstick. When an outbreak appears I usually go into hiding for a week. It seems that my life is controled by this horible virus. If I had one wish it would be that I could be cold sore free. We need to find a cure. Does anyone know where a person can find more info abouth the research being done as stated above.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
just reading up on some new hsv cure research drug - phase 1 clinical trials in the UK approved 8/2008. Company is USA headquatered called BioVex - drug called immunoVEX. - do all you can to support HSV cure research, letters to congress, donations, etc. - spread the word…no pun intended!
September 25th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Thank you all, especially Adrian, for sharing some information. Here is what I can share.
I have HSV-1. There was a time when I had health insurance. So, I went to the doctors and they prescribed Acyclovir. The pills were effective if I took them in time. But the virus got smart and started to activate itself when I slept at night and it had plenty of time (6 hours or more) to do damage by the time I woke up. So when I took the pills then, all it did was to reduce the size of the outbreaks. Very rarely the pills prevented it. The same thing happened with Abreva and all the other overpriced and useless OTC junk.
But I lost my job and my health insurance and there was no way I could afford Acyclovir which cost almost half as much as my rent. Then, I did some research and found out that “Vitamin B12 with Brewer’s yeats” by Solgar, has proven effective for SOME people. I took the pills every day(6 each day and it is recommended that you should not take more) and for 16 months I did not have any outbreaks. But after 16 months, for some reason, the virus adapted and the pills lost their effectiveness.
Then, I did some mor research and I found out that BHT pills have shown effectiveness for SOME people. I started taking them (1000 mg each day and it is absolutely recommended that you must not take more because research shows it WILL cause cancer for more dosage per day). This time I did not have any outbreaks for 14 months, but then again the virus adapted and came back with the same viciousness.
I did some more research and have been using the Zinc Sulfate Topical Cream by Kirkman for the past two months (keep in mind that I get the cold sores every week). The cream is VERY VERY potent and thin layers of it over the “tinggling” spot has proven effective for me. So, I feel the tinggling, I see the blister coming on from underneath my skin, and then I start applying thin layers of the cream to the area ever hour or two at the time, and the result has been that the virus flees very quickly and never causes any outbreaks. But timing is the key here. When I’m late, the virus causes the outbreak anyway.
I am excited about Adrian’s advice above and I am going to try high dosage Vit. C treatment and see what happens. Man, the blisters are really embarrassing. I hope we can find a permanat cure soon.