Encouraging research - Genetic treatment may eliminate herpes.
Considering the World Health Organization's claims, approximately 3.7 billion individuals under the age of 50 experience HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus 1) infections, leading to oral herpes. Similarly, an estimated 491 million people are affected by HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus 2) and develop genital herpes.
HSV, which is a prolonged infection, can only be managed through existing treatments that suppress symptoms but cannot eradicate the virus.
Recently, researchers from the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle unveiled a groundbreaking gene therapy targeted at eradicating the herpes virus. According to Keith Jerome, a professor in the Department of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at Fred Hutch, "Herpes is a stealthy virus. It lies dormant between nerve cells, then reawakens and causes painful skin blisters."
This gene therapy involves injecting a concoction of molecules into the bloodstream that can identify and locate the herpes virus in the body. This combination includes lab-modified viruses frequently used in gene therapies and enzymes.
Once the viruses reach the infected nerve cells, the enzymes work their magic by cutting the herpes virus genes, either damaging them or eliminating them entirely. "These cuts cripple the virus so severely that it can't self-heal. The body's natural repair mechanisms recognize the damaged DNA as intruders and eliminate it," says Martine Aubert, the lead scientist.
The researchers observed remarkable results in their experiments involving mice. They discovered that 90% of HSV-1 (oral herpes) infections and 97% of HSV-2 (genital herpes) infections were eliminated through this therapy. Furthermore, this treatment also significantly decreased the virus's incidence and spread in the body.
Jerome added, "We simplified the gene therapy from previous approaches, making our optimized gene-editing technique successfully eliminate the herpes virus with fewer side effects on the liver and nerves."
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Source: symclub.org