Curious....medical comparison between those with no herpes outbreaks and those with multiple ones

[whitedaisies]

Silly question but worth pondering for late on a weekday (ha ha), have there been any medical studies looking at differences in genetic make up to see why people remain asymptomatic and why others have multiple outbreaks?

 

I know there are so many variables but wouldn't this be a good place to start? There must be some inherent genetic similarities w all herpes sufferers that are asymptomatic......maybe they can find better meds or a "theoretical cure" this way.

 

Just wondering.

[CityofAngels]

An interesting question. To the extent of my knowledge, those who well and truly have no outbreaks whatsoever are very few and far between. A study conducted by Anna Walt et al. gave an initial figure of 20% who claimed not to experience any outbreaks. On further examination, 75% of those 20% actually did experience outbreaks, only they were not recognizing them as such because of the atypical presentations of symptoms. So only about 5% of those in Wald's study never experienced a detectable outbreak.

 

Again, to the limits of my knowledge, the frequency and severity of outbreaks depends on a very large array of factors, only one of which concerns the body's overall immune function. Scientists generally start with the most probable "local" explanations for an occurrence, and only bring in more fundamental explanations when there is a documented suspicion of genetic involvement. For example, when scientists want to explain why one billiard ball moves when hit by another, s/he uses laws involving mass and momentum, as opposed to more exotic and "high-powered" theories like general relativity. Now, the factors that determine immune system function are likewise enormous and complex. There *may* be a genetic role here, but it would not in and of itself exclusively determine individual responses to the herpes simplex virus.

 

Medical research involving manipulation of an individual's genetic profile is active and ongoing, but still in its infancy. Certain gene therapies are available, although at fabulous cost. Moreover, they tend to be for diseases that are relatively simple in terms of the number and extent of genetic mutations involved. My bet is that there will likely be a cure for genital herpes before any gene therapies become available. It is much simpler, although still enormously complex, to research a cure that flushes the virus out of the nerve cells in which it is hiding, rather than gene therapy based on a still-hypothetical role of genetics in modulating an individual's response to the herpes simplex virus.

 

Unfortunately, as far as diseases and conditions go, herpes is definitely not that glamorous in the medical field. That is both a good and a bad thing. It is "good", because it reveals the opinion of educated and trained professionals that genital herpes is truly not a significant condition deserving of the attention and stigma that it receives. It is "bad" in that herpes is relatively low on the list of research priorities of most researchers and clinicians, although active work is still being done in the field.

[whitedaisies]

Wow.....that was like foreplay. Lol

 

Seriously, thx for the post it was a great read. Stuff like this really interests me....really like increasing my knowledge on stuff and herpes as been the topic du jour lately.

 

I hate when people say it's an annoying skin condition bc I think it underplays the intensity of pain that occurs for some and is recurring mind u. It's just me....stigma aside it is annoying, no most likely you can't die, BUT it is quite painful and can occur multiple times a year....even a month for some.....I dunno I think saying its an annoying skin condition undermines it. It's also contagious unlike other illnesses.

 

I know people post that a lot more to help w others self esteem and acceptance, I get it but I think it just feeds into the lack of focus the medical establishment has put on finding better meds and a "cure"

 

But wow....thx for ur reply I absolutely loved it.

[CityofAngels]

Hello there whitedaisies...you didn't like my answer?

[whitedaisies]

I loved it.

 

Like is an understatement....I am one of those people who love love love learning new things and hearing different perspectives. Really thx it wasa. Good read

[CityofAngels]

Thank you whitedaisies. I have to go to bed for the evening, maybe I'll catch you on here some other time...

[whitedaisies]

Sounds good. Night

[WCSDancer2010]

Not a lot that I can add to what @CityofAngels said except that the work around understanding the role of genetics is happening, just not with Herpes ...

 

There is proof that 1% of the population is totally immune to the HIV virus ... this came out thanks to a man who died recently who realized that in spite of having numerous lovers who died of HIV, he never got sick ... so he finally went to the Dr's and asked to have them look at why.

 

http://theconversation.com/the-important-legacy-of-the-man-who-couldnt-get-aids-20505

 

Since that time they have found the gene that protects him and that is one of the ways that they found how to come up with the medications/treatments that they now have for HIV/AIDS that is helping many to get their detectable blood levels of the virus to zero. These people are not "cured", but they are technically safe for having sexual relationships because the virus is not in any of their body fluids (as I understand it).

 

Just as with the other running conversation about vaccines that activate the T-cells so that they attack the virus, (which is technology learned from the AIDS research) so I also believe that as they understand more about the role of genetics in AIDS that technology/information will be picked up by the Herpes researchers at some point. A LOT of the research out there for Herpes is being piggy backed on HIV research ...

 

 

[lasko]

well maybe im an oddity. but i have GHSV2 an OHSV1 an yet ive never had an oral OB but ive had a few genital ones.

[WCSDancer2010]

@lasko

 

How do you know your HSV1 is oral if you never had an OB... you DO know it could be genital don't you?

[lasko]

i could have GHSV1 and GSHV2??

i had a swab and+ GHSV2

[WCSDancer2010]

Just saying that unless it comes up on a swab, HSV1 could be in either place ....

 

50% of all new genital herpes cases are HSV1 from oral sex ... while it's unusual, it's not impossible.

 

You may want to ask your parents if you ever had a cold sore as a kid... if you did, then you have it orally ... many people had them so young they wouldn't remember it.

 

Odds are you have it orally ... but we all know about assumptions ... they make an ASS-out of U and ME .... LOL