When one of the sexually transmitted virus’ two strains enters the body through genital tissue, it travels to neurons near the spine that the body’s defenses have learned not to kill – even when infected – because they don’t regenerate easily. And there the virus hides, occasionally reactivating to cause blisters that can break to cause painful sores. Ripe to invade a sexual partner.(more…)
A new drug, called pritelivir, may offer a new treatment option for patients with genital herpes, a new industry-sponsored – study led by University of Washington researchers has found.
The study appears in this week’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The lead author is Anna Wald, M.D., professor of medicine, epidemiology, and laboratory medicine, and medical director at the Virology Research Clinic at the University of Washington. Other UW coauthors include Dr. Amalia Magaret, Dr. Christine Johnston, Dr. Lawrence Corey, Dr. Meei-Li Huang and Stacy Selke. (more…)