Genital herpes is a lifelong condition that can cause painful and uncomfortable outbreaks. While there is no cure for herpes, there are treatments available to help manage the symptoms and reduce the risk of transmission. In recent years, advances in gene-editing tools have opened up new possibilities for a herpes cure. Keith Jerome, a virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, has been exploring the idea that lifelong herpes virus infections could be cured by using gene therapy tools to cut DNA.
He believes that this could be a potential breakthrough in the search for a herpes cure. Although there is no cure for herpes, there are many ways to treat symptoms and control the infection. Self-care can ease symptoms and help sores heal. Medications can shorten an outbreak and also relieve symptoms.
Antiviral drug treatment can help people who are bothered by outbreaks of genital herpes stay symptom-free longer. These medications can also reduce the severity and duration of symptoms when they get worse. Medication therapy isn't a cure, but it can make life easier with the condition. Acyclovir is an antiviral medication that treats infections caused by the herpes simplex virus, including genital herpes.
You may recognize acyclovir by its brand names such as Zovirax, Cymex Ultra, and Virasorb. The first results suggest that there is hope for a vaccine, but as with the CRISPR cure for herpes, the final results are still years away. Pharmaceutical companies are eager to discover a cure for herpes, but first they must overcome an extremely lengthy and expensive research process. Daily use of antiviral medications can prevent or shorten outbreaks. Antiviral medications can also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others. It will still be a long time before these experiments lead to the first human trials of gene therapy to cure herpes.
Jerome estimates that there are at least three years to go. Advances in herpes cure research over the past five years have given us hope that one day we may be able to find a cure for this condition. Until the herpes cure becomes a reality, you can continue to use current treatments to control outbreaks.
