Latest news with #coldsores
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Cold sore virus takes over human DNA within just one hour, study finds
The cold sore-causing Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) hijacks human cells and reconfigures its DNA within just an hour after infection, according to a new study that may help tackle the pathogen. Viruses are dependant on their hosts for replication, and upon infecting cells they tend to take over its cellular machinery to make new copies of themselves. Scientists have now found that the herpes virus not only hijacks its host's genome, but tends to reorganise the entire internal structure of the cells it infects within an hour after infection. Two out of every three people under the age of 50 live with HSV-1, and once infected, they have the virus for life. Although most cases are asymptomatic or manifest as mostly benign but recurrent cold sores, in rare cases the virus can cause blindness or life-threatening disease in newborns or those with compromised immunity. herpes infection and dementia in older adults. The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that HSV-1 reshapes the human genome's structure, making it compact and dense so that the virus can access host genes most useful for it to reproduce. This finding could lead to new treatments to control the virus, which infects nearly four billion people worldwide, researchers say. "HSV-1 is an opportunistic interior designer, reshaping the human genome with great precision and choosing which bits it comes into contact with. It's a novel mechanism of manipulation we didn't know the virus had to exploit host resources," said Esther González Almela, first author of the study. While previous studies have suggested that HSV infection leads to compacting and reshaping host chromosomes, it remained unclear whether it was a side effect of the cold sore virus infection or caused directly by the pathogen itself. The latest study is the first to prove that HSV-1 reshapes the human genome deliberately and within hours of infection. Researchers also found that blocking a single host cell enzyme – topoisomerase I – completely blocked the cold sore virus' crucial ability to rearrange the human genome. "In cell culture, inhibiting this enzyme stopped the infection before the virus could make a single new particle," said Pia Cosma, another author of the study. "That gives us a potential new therapeutic target to stop infection,' Dr Cosma said. In the study, scientists used super-resolution microscopy to peer into ultra small cell structures just 20 nanometres wide, which is around 3,500 times thinner than a strand of hair. They combined this with another technique that reveals which bits of DNA are touching inside the nucleus. These techniques showed that the herpes virus' hostile takeover begins within the first hour, with the virus hijacking a key human enzyme – RNA-polymerase II – to synthesise its own proteins. Just three hours after infection, the virus causes a sizeable fraction of molecules involved in human DNA replication to abandon the cell nucleus and enter viral replication compartments. The wholesale theft causes a collapse of any activity across the host genome, which then gets crushed into a dense shell just 30 per cent of its original volume. Scientists hope the latest findings can help address the global health challenge posed by HSV-1 due to its prevalence and ability to cause recurrent outbreaks.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Mother's heartbreaking warning to parents after son suffers brain damage caused by a common virus
A heartbroken mother has issued a stark warning to parents after her baby son was left brain damaged by the cold sore virus. Amanda Scanlon, 39, from Derry, is speaking out to raise awareness after her son Jed contracted the virus at just six months old—causing severe brain swelling. Now three, Jed has epilepsy and suffers from developmental delays due to damage caused by the herpes virus—which triggers cold sores. Before falling ill, Jed had been hitting all his milestones, even giving high-fives, Ms Scanlon told the Irish Mirror. Today, while he can walk and feed himself finger foods, he remains non-verbal and endures seizures every night. 'We are absolutely devastated,' Ms Scanlon said. 'I knew cold sores were dangerous, but I didn't realise they could leave a child with brain damage.' She said neither she nor her husband have ever suffered from cold sores, but added: 'We don't dwell on where he picked it up from—it won't achieve much. Babies could also get the virus from someone sneezing or coughing around them. You have to be really careful.' Jed's injuries are so severe that Ms Scanlon has now dedicated her life to raising awareness about the dangers of cold sores in babies. Through her TikTok account, @JedsJourney, she shares updates on her son's health and her experience parenting a child with complex needs. The account has already gained more than 2,000 followers. In one post, Ms Scanlon wrote: 'Jed was born so healthy and content, and for the first six months he was absolutely thriving—until he became unwell. He was diagnosed with viral encephalitis, a potentially fatal swelling of the brain, after the cold sore virus entered his spinal fluid and reached his brain.' One of her most popular posts is a timeline of events leading up to Jed's diagnosis—highlighting the early warning signs she now hopes other parents will learn from. In a series of photos, Ms Scanlon recalled how Jed developed a high temperature one Sunday evening, which she initially thought was just teething. By Tuesday, he was still unwell despite being given Calpol. A visit to the GP resulted in a prescription for antibiotics to treat an ear and throat infection. By Wednesday, Ms Scanlon noticed Jed had grey skin, was spiking high temperatures, and kept vomiting. An emergency GP appointment led to him being rushed to hospital. 'When we arrived they started taking bloods, heel pricks, put a catheter in and gave him strong IV antibiotics,' Ms Scanlon recalled. 'He lay there lifeless. 'Initial tests for sepsis and bacterial meningitis came back clear. But by Thursday, Jed had suffered three major seizures.' He was given a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, a medical procedure where a needle is inserted into the lower back to collect a sample of spinal fluid for testing. 'Forty-eight hours later we got the results, which showed viral encephalitis—and our beautiful baby boy was never the same,' Ms Scanlon said. The cause was the cold sore virus, officially known as herpes simplex virus (HSV-1)—which studies suggest is carried by between 50 and 80 per cent of the population. Most people are infected during childhood, and the virus then lies dormant in the body. It can reactivate later in life—typically during times of stress or illness—forming the familiar blister around the lips. While harmless for most adults, in newborns and babies the virus can be deadly, especially if it spreads to the brain. Amanda is now calling for greater awareness of how dangerous cold sores can be for infants—even through a kiss, a sneeze or a cough. However during this time patients are highly infectious. The herpes virus can be incredibly dangerous infants as their immune system is yet to fully develop. Parents are advised that the first four weeks of a baby's life are when they are most vulnerable to a serious herpes infection. Adults with cold sores should not kiss their baby and should also follow good hand hygiene while caring for the baby to reduce the chance of passing on the virus. The NHS warns that if a baby does contract herpes from a parent or other adult, it may not manifest as rash and instead the child may show signs such as being lethargic or irritable, not feeding, a high temperature. Parents are urged to act quickly if they notice this—as young children can deteriorate quickly. Parents should contact NHS 111 or their GP for advice. If the baby is floppy and unresponsive, difficult to wake up, has breathing difficulties, starts grunting or their tongue or skin turn blue they should call 999 immediately.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Study Links Herpes Virus To Alzheimer's Risk, But Experts Urge Caution
A new study published in the scientific journal BMJ Open has found that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores, is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. However, experts emphasize that the findings show correlation, not causation, and more research is needed. The study, conducted by researchers at Gilead Sciences Inc., analyzed health insurance data from 344,628 U.S. adults aged 50 and older diagnosed with Alzheimer's or related dementia between 2006 and 2021, each matched with a control of similar age, sex, and region without neurological disorders. Of those with Alzheimer's, 0.44% had a prior HSV-1 diagnosis, compared to 0.24% of controls, suggesting an 80% higher relative risk for Alzheimer's among those with HSV-1. The absolute numbers, however, remain small. Additionally, individuals treated with antiviral medication for HSV-1 showed a 17% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's compared to untreated counterparts. 'Despite the large sample size, this research has limitations partly due to only using health records and administrative claims data,' said Dr. Sheona Scales, Director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, in a statement to the Science Media Centre. 'Most people infected with HSV-1 don't have any symptoms, so some infections might not have been recorded.' Dr. David Vickers of the University of Calgary was more critical, stating, 'This pharma-funded research exaggerates the role of HSV-1, failing to appreciate its absence in 99.56 percent of [Alzheimer's disease] cases.' The World Health Organization estimates two-thirds of people under 50 globally carry HSV-1, a neurotropic virus that can infect nerve cells and often lies dormant after initial infection, sometimes reactivating to cause cold sores. Previous studies have detected HSV-1 DNA in postmortem Alzheimer's brains and shown it can trigger amyloid-beta plaque accumulation, a hallmark of the disease, in lab settings. A 2024 Journal of Virology study found HSV-1 can enter mouse brains, causing persistent inflammation, noting evidence for its role in Alzheimer's as 'overwhelming.' 'We're not saying viruses explain everything. But they may be central to it. This is no longer a fringe theory – it's the next phase of Alzheimer's research, and we're pursuing it,' Dr. Bryce Vissel of St. Vincent's Hospital Sydney told the Australian Science Media Centre. However, Professor Tara Spires-Jones of the University of Edinburgh cautioned, 'It is important to note that HSV-1 infection, which is extremely common in the population, is by no means a guarantee that someone will develop Alzheimer's.' The study's reliance on insurance data raises concerns, as HSV-1 is often underdiagnosed, potentially skewing results. It also lacks data on infection frequency or severity, which could influence risk. 'The study's data source makes its findings ungeneralisable, and it overstates a minor infection as a 'public health priority' to justify unnecessary treatment,' Vickers added. Other factors, like genetics, lifestyle, or healthcare access, may also contribute to Alzheimer's risk among HSV-1 carriers. Some experts see potential in antiviral treatments. 'With many GPs and the population being unaware of the dementia related benefits of treating HSV infections and preventing VZV activation through vaccination, it is time to call for actions informing those working in primary care as well as the population at large,' said Professor Cornelia van Duijn of the University of Oxford. Dr. Richard Oakley of Alzheimer's Society advised, 'If you are worried about a cold sore or your general health, be sure to seek the appropriate help from a health professional.' 'More research is needed to understand the best way to protect our brains from Alzheimer's disease as we age,' Spires-Jones said. For now, experts recommend focusing on proven brain health strategies like exercise, sleep, and a balanced diet.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Cold sores may play role in Alzheimer's development, new research reveals
Cold sores may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study published in BMJ Open. Researchers examined 344,628 "case-control pairs." The pairs were matched in age, sex, geographical region and number of healthcare visits — but one had Alzheimer's disease and one did not. Of the groups studied, 1,507 people with Alzheimer's also had herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which is the most common cause of cold sores. Only 823 people in the control group had HSV-1. Among these 2,330 people, 40% used anti-herpetic medication following their diagnosis. Those who were treated for the virus were 17% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who didn't use the treatments, the study found. The risk of developing this form of dementia is known to rise with age. However, the chance of an HSV-1 diagnosis was 80% higher in those diagnosed with Alzheimer's, according to the research. Less commonly, cold sores can be caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The analysis places "an even greater emphasis on viewing the prevention of herpes viruses as a public health priority," the researchers said in a press release. Overall, women made up 65% of the Alzheimer's cases. Their average age was 73, and they tended to have more co-existing conditions, which were all risk factors. The study also observed the potential role of other herpes viruses, some of which were associated with an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease. The specific connection between viruses like HSV-1 and heightened dementia risk isn't clear, the researchers noted. "However, studies have shown that inflammatory alterations in the brain caused by HSV infection are pivotal in [Alzheimer's disease] development," they said in the release. Treatment with anti-viral therapy seems to lower the risk of Alzheimer's, "suggesting that HSV-1 treatment may be protective," the study says. "There's no cure for cold sores, but treatment can help manage outbreaks," according to Mayo Clinic. "Prescription antiviral medicine or creams can help sores heal more quickly. And they may make future outbreaks happen less often and be shorter and less serious." There were some limitations in the study, the researchers acknowledged. "Due to limited data history, HSV-1 infections prior to the patient's database entry were not included in the analysis, and it is possible that some overlap exists between HSV-1 and HSV-2 diagnoses," the researchers noted. "Additionally, many individuals with HSV-1 infection are asymptomatic, and others may not seek medical care during recurrences and are therefore not clinically diagnosed and recorded in the database." While an estimated two-thirds of people under 50 are infected with HSV-1, data on symptomatic infections is limited, "as manifestations can be mild or unnoticed," the researchers added. For more Health articles, visit Under-diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease could also skew the results. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers and other doctors for comment.
Medscape
20-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
The Strange Link Between Cold Sores and Alzheimer's Disease
This transcript has been edited for clarity. Welcome to Impact Factor , your weekly dose of commentary on a new medical study. I'm Dr F. Perry Wilson from the Yale School of Medicine. Two-thirds of you reading this will know the feeling. It starts with a numb, tingly, feeling in the lip. A day or so later, some redness, some swelling, and then, yup, a cold sore. It's a little frustrating, maybe a little embarrassing, but you wait it out for a few days and it goes away. No big deal, right? Except for the fact that multiple studies suggest that cold sores might increase your risk for Alzheimer's disease. Cold sores come from a viral infection, specifically herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). There are multiple herpesviruses, which are all DNA viruses and include HSV-2 which causes the sexually transmitted infection; though, to be fair, both HSV-1 and -2 can lead to both types of infections. Varicella — the virus that causes chicken pox and shingles, Ebstein-Barr virus, CMV — are all herpesviruses. If you're human, you have almost certainly been infected by at least one. In any case, HSV-1 is one of the most common viral infections in the world. It's estimated that about two-thirds of the adult population are infected. Unlike other viruses, such as flu or coronavirus, herpesviruses are incredibly difficult to completely fight off from your body. They get around immune surveillance by hiding out in the nucleus of other cells as just an innocuous bundle of DNA. This latent phase is asymptomatic. It lies dormant until, for reasons that are still not entirely clear, the DNA bundle loosens a bit and the cellular machinery turns those instructions into the proteins that make up new virus particles and boom — outbreak. The immune system gets revved up, the outbreak is contained, and the cycle repeats. What does this all have to do with Alzheimer's disease? I was inspired to dig into this a bit because of a study appearing this week in BMJ Open , which suggests that HSV-1 infection nearly doubles the risk of Alzheimer's. Let me run through the study's findings and then we can figure out if this makes any sense at all. Researchers used the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus database to conduct the study. This is basically a large administrative claims database that covers much of the United States. It basically aggregates all the billing codes for medical care and medications from a bunch of commercial insurers; there are more than 200 million individuals represented in the file. From those, they found 344,628 individuals who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. For controls, they identified another 344,628 individuals with the same age, gender, region of the country, date of entry into the database, and — to account for contact with the medical system — the number of inpatient and outpatient visits. Despite that, the groups were not exactly comparable. The individuals who would go on to develop Alzheimer's disease had a greater number of comorbidities, for example. But the kicker of the study — the headline — is this finding. People with Alzheimer's disease were twice as likely to have HSV-1 compared with the controls. After accounting for the differences between them, infection with HSV-1 increased the odds of subsequently developing Alzheimer's disease by 80%. Did you catch the problem with this graph? Take a look at the Y-axis. That's on the percentage scale. Sure, the people who went on to develop Alzheimer's disease had double the rate of HSV-1 infection, but the raw number is 0.44% vs 0.24%. Didn't I tell you at the beginning that about two-thirds of us are infected with HSV-1? That's quite a bit higher than 0.44%. What is going on here? Welcome to the world of administrative data. The problem here is that the researchers could only identify people with HSV-1 based on some provider diagnosing them with HSV-1. More than that, entering a billing code for HSV-1. Have you ever had a cold sore? Do you know whether your doctor added that to your medical history and billed insurance for it? Probably not. So we're missing an enormous number of infections here, and that calls the whole conclusion into question. Now, you might say, sure, doctors aren't diagnosing the vast majority of HSV-1 cases, but surely this is true both for people who go on to develop Alzheimer's and for those who don't, and therefore the inference is valid. Maybe. But I'd feel better if we were talking about missing something like 10% of diagnoses instead of 99% like we are here. I don't want to discount this too much, though. The paper has some other interesting findings. For instance, there was also a higher rate of HSV-2 and varicella infection among those who developed Alzheimer's disease; those are the other herpesviruses that infect nerve cells. There was no difference in rates of cytomegalovirus infection — another herpesvirus, but one that infects monocytes instead of nerve cells. But let's say we believe the link between HSV and Alzheimer's, what can we do about it? The authors hypothesized that, if HSV is causative of Alzheimer's, treatment with antivirals would reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. And since prescription information was present in the dataset, they could model this. Sure enough, those treated with antivirals were less likely — about 17% less likely — to develop Alzheimer's disease. This is interesting to me. In general, when you look at people who are treated for a condition, you can assume they had a more severe form of the condition (short of the treatment being done in the context of a randomized trial). Basically, people who get treated tend to be sicker than people who don't get treated, and so, in general, you see worse outcomes in the treated group — a stubborn problem in observational data called confounding by indication. Here, we see the opposite, which adds some weight to the argument. So, despite the poor capture of HSV-1 infections, the link could be real. Some other studies support this hypothesis. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by amyloid plaque deposition in the brain. Some mouse studies have shown that HSV induces the formation of amyloid plaques as an immune response and impairs the mouse's cognitive ability. This study prospectively studied 1000 Swedish older adults over time and measured antibodies to HSV: 82% of people had those antibodies which comports with what we would expect. Still, those with the antibodies had about twice the risk of developing dementia as those without. The authors of the paper in BMJ Open suggest 'antiherpetic therapies as potentially protective for AD-related dementia.' That feels like a bit of a leap to me at this point, and I will point out that this paper was funded by Gilead Sciences who have quite a few antivirals on the market and a new anti-herpetic drug that has recently completed phase 1a testing— so… grains of salt. Still, for those who suffer from cold sores, a study like this may push you a bit towards treatment, at least during an outbreak. Short-term valacyclovir is relatively safe and reduces the duration of the cold sore by about a day, which is nice. But if it reduces your risk of dementia as well, well, it might be a no-brainer.
