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Monday, November, 23, 2009
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 PJ Hamel On NPR!

Is a Cure for Herpes on the Horizon

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Amy Hendel is a popular and recognizable health/medical television...

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Monday, July 07, 2008
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Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have now figured out how the HSV1 - the cause of cold sores - manages to hide out.  Apparently they lie dormant in the trigeminal nerve of the face until they are triggered by excessive sunlight, a fever or other stresses.

Well now that scientists are beginning to understand how the virus switches back and forth from dormant to active phase, and this could lead to a cure.  When the virus gets stimulated it creates new molecular material (RNA) and replicates and then goes out on its so-called "new mission" - hence the cold sores.  If scientists can create a drug that binds to the RNA and stimulates the replication, you essentially activate the virus and then kill the virus by having the patient take acyclovir.  You would then have a situation where a virus was eradicated for good.

 

This would be huge since HSV1 is certainly a communicable disease and can be transferred by kissing, oral sex, sharing utensils or towels.  Drug trials to begin developing microRna stimulators are now in the works.  Stay tuned for more!!

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There are two types of HSV, HSV type 1 and 2, and both can cause genital herpes.

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