AfAMUY
OF VIRUSES
THAT AFFECTS
IIS AU
Coming in contact with some
one with a venereal disease
plagues sexually active peo-
pie. Aside from the reccnt outbreak of
AIDS, herpes has been a cause for
panic. But what most don’t realize is
that herpjes cannot be categorized as a
single disease because it has many
forms. So that Meredith students may
learn more about this multi-disease and
thus know the symptoms, the MereJufi
Herald is producing a series of articles
about herpes.
To most people, ''herp>es” means
one disease — genital herpes. In fact,
herpes is not one disease, but a family
of five viruses that affects all of us.
Herpetic diseases have been with us
throughout human histc)ry. They are as
familiar as cold sores and as common
as chicken pox.
Knowing the facts about herpes vir
uses will help you answer important
questions about their risk. This review
will tell you how herpes viruses spread,
what diseases they cause, who is most
vulnerable, and how they can be con
trolled or treated.
The five herpes viruses and their
most common, related diseases are:
1. Herpes simplex virus, type 1; cold
cores, eye infections.
2. Herpes simplex virus, type 2: geni
tal herpes.
3. Varicella-zoster virus: chicken
pox, shingles.
4- Epstein-Barr virus: infectious
mononucleosis.
5. Cytomegalovirus: birth defects.
Diseases causcd by herpes viruses
have plagued,us since ancient time.
Two thousand years ago, Greek physi
cians used the name herpes, meaning
"to creep.” to describe the spreading
sores of several diseases including geni
tal herpes. Hippocrates clearly des
cribed both getyital herpes and shingles,
and a Roman emperor banned public
kissing, apparently to control the
spread of nononucleosis.
Like all viruses, a herpes virus is not
much more than a package of genetic
material that enters a living cell and
takes over the cell’s genetic matter
(DNA).
The five viruses in the herpes family
look very much alike under a micro
scope. Tljey all stay in the body per
manently after the first infection. This
is important, because it means that all
five viruses can cause recurring infec
tions. Most herpes infections heal by
themselves, just as chicken pox and
cold sores do. The body’s natural
defenses gradually defeat the infection
and build up antibtxlies to help ward
off a second attack.
But herpes viruses can lie asleep
inside host cells. In this sleeping state,
called latency, the virus does not cause
symptoms, and a person is not ill. Lat
ent virus may stay quiet for a lifetime,
or it may awaken to cause another
active infection.
Life Cycle of a Herpes Virus
Herpes viruses spread from person
to person by direct physical contact.
People contract herpes infections by
touching the eyes, lips, mouth or geni
tals of an infected person. Genital
herpes is a sexually transmitted disease.
Herpes viruses do not survive long
outside the body. Some experiments .
have shown diat the herpes simplex
virus can survive for up, to 90 minutes
QH a plastic surface. But experts believe
it is extremely unlikely that such .a virus
could infect someone.
The virus usually enters the body
through mucous membranes (like
mouth or genital tissue). The viral
DNA takes over the DNA in 6\e cell
and directs the production of more
viruses.
In some herpes infections like genital
herpes, cold sores and shingles', the
virus travels down nerve pathways to
the skin surface and a rash or sores
break out. During this active infection,
live virus is shed (excreted) from the
sores, skin and in secretions (like sal
iva) of the mucous membranes. This is
how the virus spreads from person to
person through skin contact.
As the infection spreads, chemical
signals go out to the body’s immune
system. Antibodies are made and,
together with special white blood cells,
they attack the invadit^g virus. In peo
ple with impaired natural defenses,
called immune compromised patients,
herpes infections can be serious, even
life threatening. But in most p>eople, the
immune system stop>s the infeaion.
The immune defenses do not win
completely, though. Latent virus will
remain, usually in nerve cells called
gar^lia near the brain and at the base of
the spinal cord. If triggered, latent virus
will begin the cycle again and cause
another infeaion. But recurrent herpes
infections are usually much milder than
the first, or primary infection. The
immune system is ready for the second
attack and stops the infection faster.
-Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)
Type 1
There are two types of herpes sim
plex virus. HSV type 1 is primarily
responsible for cold sores. Less com
mon herpes infections affect the eye
(keratitis), the brain (encephalitis) and
the fingers (whitlow).
The cold sore, called oral or labial
herpes, is one of the most common
herpes infeaions. It is estimated that
98 million Americans suffer from these
painful, blister-like sores on the lips
and irttide the moudi. Blisters may be
preceded by a tingling or itching sensa
tion. They usually heal in abput one
week.
Recurrence is very common. Blisters
may reappear infrequently or as often
as once a month. Recurrent cold sores
are often triggered by exposure to sun
or wind. They also may appear when
you are fighting another infection, and
the immune system is less able to pre
vent an outbreak.
Oral herpes is spread by direct con
tact with the lips and moudi of an
infected person. Most people are
infected as children when they are
kissed by adults or other children who
have active cold sores. Dentists and
medical professionals are especially at
risk because of frequent exposure to
the virus.
Cold sores also can be caused by
HSV type 2, the virus responsible for
genital herpes, and genital herpes can
be caused by HSV type I. Such cross
over is fairly rare. Only 5 percent of
oral herpes comes from type 2 virus.
Type 1 oral herpes can be spread to the
genitals and (type 2 genital herpes to
the moudi) by oral sex and by self
inoculation — that is, by touching the
sore with your fingers and then touch
ing another susceptible part of the
body.
Cold sores are a minor problem for
most people and usually heal by them
selves. But HSV type 1 can cause
serious infeaions in immune com
promised patients, such as cancer and
organ transplant patients, and new
borns who have not yet developed
immunity. For these patients, new
antiviral drugs are an important mode
of treatment.
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Aoiwer
8 February 13.1986