Herpes Cure Research

An inefficient virus kills its host. A clever virus stays with it. ~ James Lovelock

I must say this quote stands eerily true for the herpes virus! Herpes - there is much more to those blisters than what appears above the surface of the skin. Even when they seem to disappear as an apparent effect of medications and herpes treatment, rest assured that the primary agents of this infection, the Herpes Simplex Virus, is just taking a short nap right there inside your body, resting itself till the next outbreak! So, you see, it does not kill its host, the infected person, but stays within his/her body, partaking all the necessary sustenance from the host's cells. However, clever as it is, this virus can be said to have a somewhat egotistical personality which drives it to make its presence felt to the host in the form of those occasional outbreaks! Well, although this virus may not kill its host, treatment of the symptoms alone does not suffice as a suitable enough solution. After all, which self-respecting individual would quietly permit the unauthorized invasion of his property by an outsider and turn a blind eye to the exploitation of his resources by this parasite?

Most of us are aware that not all micro organisms are bad for us. At least in case of bacteria, yeast and fungi, there are a lot of species with which we have a symbiotic relationship and which are actually directly beneficial for our existence! However, in case of viruses (if it can be called an organism at all!), the same has not been proven to be true till date. Not all viruses may be significantly harmful to us but as of today, I doubt if any virus species has been shown to possess any benefit for mankind or for any other organism for that matter! With this sentiment running strong for years, a lot of efforts have been invested in herpes cure research which, going by recent reports, promises to permanently evict this infection from the system of the affected.

Possibility of Developing a Cure for Herpes - Facts, Findings and R&D

When research is conducted to find a cure for an infection, we first try to find out the root cause of the infection and locate the mechanism by which the infecting agent evades the immune response of our body and manages to remain inside the host almost perpetually. Speaking of the herpes virus, this tiny speck of genetic bundle is one hell of a smart Aleck!

Facts
The survival and propagation strategy adopted by this virus is no less than a genius plan chalked out by a guerrilla warrior! Similar to a guerrilla warrior, the virus lies dormant and inactive within the host, hiding inside the cells of the nervous system when the immune defenses scan the entire body for pathogens. The immune system is unable to detect a pathogen or infection unless it is in an active form. This is true for drugs and medications as well which cannot target a dormant pathogen or an inactive infectious agent. Once the medications leave the blood stream and the immune system has completed scanning the body for pathogens, these viruses come out for a brief time and start bombarding our system which manifests as those occasional outbreaks.

Findings
Now, years of intensive research into oral and genital herpes has uncovered the ingenious method by which this virus plays a game of hide-and-seek with our immune system and anti viral medication. Scientists have been able to pinpoint the specific protein in the genome code of the herpes virus which enables it to enter a dormant state inside the host cells. The key to an effective cure for herpes lies in disabling this protein so that the virus cannot hide any more, allowing the anti viral medications to take their course in tackling the infectants once for all. Even in absence of medication, the immune system itself can take neutralizing action if the virus is in its active form and is exposed to the body's immune defenses.

Research & Development
Recently, the drug Raltegravir, originally developed to treat HIV infection, has been shown to be effective against herpes virus. Its mechanism of action focuses on disabling certain essential proteins called Terminase in the viral genome code that assists the virus to replicate, thereby, inhibiting their further spread inside the host. A vaccine made from the proteins present on the cell surface and various other components of the herpes simplex virus which, if exposed to the immune system, can trigger an immune response is in the process of development. This vaccine is believed to trigger a sort of active response from the virus also. If this project is successful, we will soon have a vaccine that serves the primary purpose of getting the immune system and the virus to come face to face by activating both at the same time! Other researches are also in progress that aim at inactivating the virus permanently inside the host and disrupting the enzymes and genes that the virus needs in order to survive inside the host.

Well, the horizon looks pretty bright and we can expect a herpes cure in the next 10 - 15 years if these researches prove successful on humans. On a parting note, I'd like to share a very interesting yet scary fact about herpes. A person who carries this infection for a very long time develops partial immunity to this virus, experiencing lesser outbreaks in terms of frequency and intensity. Some people even become asymptomatic over long years of carrying the virus. You must be thinking, "So what's scary about it?". Well, these people can still pass on the infection to others!