Researchers at the University Of South Carolina School Of Medicine recently discovered the reason that reactivates the herpes virus. Researchers also found how brain cells are deceived, thereby allowing the herpes virus to escape from the repressive ecosystem in neurons.

About 90 percent of the population in the United States of America lives with HSV inside the brain cells. Under acute stress, the virus tends to leave the neurons and develops cold sores, eye infections, and in some cases, encephalitis.

How can we reduce stress and prevent cold sores?

Stress is said to be the most common reason behind cold sores. Studies have shown that the neurons where HSV resides are under pressure, eventually developing cold sores on the body.

The Human Simplex Virus is found in about 90 percent of the American population and often appears in cold sores, genital lesions, and eye infections. In rare cases, the virus may also cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), which has a 70 – 80 percent mortality rate if left untreated.

Anna Cliffe, first and co-corresponding author of the study at the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, said. “The proteins we’ve shown to be important for viral reactivation are almost exclusively found in neurons. So they do represent a good therapeutic target. We’ve known that stress triggers viral reactivation. We’ve now found how stress at the cellular level allows for viral reactivation.”

The study’s results published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe used primary neurons from mice. Mohanish Deshmukh is the paper’s senior author and Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at the University of North Carolina. He said that he and his team were excited to discover the possibility of this stress–activation pathway in humans.

How to use a positive single to inspire action?

During the initial stages of the study, Cliffe and Deshmukh created an experimental analysis to force the herpes virus. To enter the latent phase in the primary neurons of the mouse in a dish before reactivating them. This allowed them to assess specific cellular protein pathways that might play a role in the reactivation of the virus. Researchers observed that the JNK protein pathway showed activity just before the HSV began to leave neurons.

Suppose it is established that the JNK pathway is crucial for the reactivation of the virus in humans. In that case, it could be possible to create a perfect treatment for herpes and other ailments closely related to this virus.

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