New knowledge of herpes virus may lead to treatment advancements

Researchers may have gained a better understanding of how the genital herpes virus attacks healthy cells, according to a study published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology.

Fusogens, which are collections of proteins, are found in viruses and help them invade healthy cells. During a recent trial, a team of investigators from Tufts University discovered the compounds in herpes cells are different than those found in other viruses.

In fact, they found that these compounds are in need of antibodies to cause the virus to further develop and spread. Because of this discovery, researchers may be able to create medications that can counter these antibodies and prevent viral infection.

"Determining the structure of this essential piece of the herpes virus cell-entry machinery will help us answer some of the many questions about how herpes virus initiates infection," said Tirumala K. Chowdary, a postdoctoral associate at Tufts University. She added that "knowing the structures of cell-entry proteins will help us find the best strategy for interfering with this pervasive family of viruses."

While these developments are beneficial to the prevention and treatment of herpes, health officials still stress that the rate of the disease continues to rise. In fact, approximately 16.2 percent of people in the U.S. aged 14 to 49 years have contracted genital herpes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.