| There has been a lot of research being conducted on | | | | virus senses that it's getting killed off, it retreats and |
| the herpes simplex virus over the last decade or so. | | | | hides deep inside our nerve cells. So deep, that |
| And with good reason. Almost a hundred percent of | | | | neither the white cells, the immune system, nor the |
| the population carry the virus in some areas of the | | | | medicinal molecules can reach them. Later on, when |
| world. So far, the virus is docile, meaning that it does | | | | the immune system is lowered for whatever reason, |
| us no real harm except those pesky herpes blisters | | | | the virus again decides to pop its head out and go |
| that pop up once in a while, but you never know | | | | out for a reproduction spree. This method of "hiding" |
| when the virus will mutate and become something | | | | where you can't hurt them is the main reason herpes |
| worse. | | | | research has been unfruitful so far. |
| So why, with all this research being done and all, don't | | | | The antiviral drugs that kill off the virus are very |
| we have a cure yet? The reason lies with the nature | | | | effective, but if they can't reach the virus they're |
| of the virus, and we will need to go through this | | | | not really doing much good. Lately, some research |
| before we can answer this question. Once a person | | | | has been conducted on trying to force the herpes |
| gets infected with the virus, it usually takes | | | | virus out of hiding. They've had some success, as in, |
| anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of | | | | they've gotten the virus to actually pop out of the |
| months for the person to get actual physical | | | | cell prematurely, but this comes with pretty big side |
| symptoms of it. These symptoms usually display | | | | effects. So far, this procedure gets the virus out, but |
| themselves through the means of blisters, fevers or | | | | at the same time it actually kills off the nerve-cells as |
| muscle soreness. This is when the virus has had | | | | well, which is not too good at all. |
| space and time to multiply. After a while though, the | | | | In any case, it will take at least another five years till |
| body becomes aware of the herpes virus and quickly | | | | any derivative of this medicine is out there on the |
| gets accustomed, and after that kills it off | | | | market. The unfortunate part of medicine research is |
| effectively. | | | | that it is not just a matter of finding something that |
| But it doesn't do it completely. Now we're getting to | | | | works, but that you have to go through all of the |
| why both the body and modern medicine have a | | | | processes afterwards that ensure it is safe and that |
| troubles completely eliminating the virus. When the | | | | you follow all the regulations. |