# Herpes (HSV) Cure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722 "2012-04-14T00:37:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![dehaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@dehaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dehaven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/122 "2013-06-27T01:08:15Z")
Thanks for that info Ferret Herder. Notice I copied and pasted exactly as you posted it. So, the quotes are lacking in your post , too. And of course from the text itself, it is clear that it is a post and reply. ---
**Author:** ![dehaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@dehaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dehaven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/123 "2013-06-27T01:25:03Z")
Also, the article says: "Currently available antiviral agents can elicit a sustained virologic response (virologic clearance or cure) in up to 79% of patients when administered with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, and the benefits of HCV treatment are expected to increase. " So, there seems to be a third “anti-viral” agent administered _with_ pegylated interferon and ribavirin. ---
**Author:** ![dehaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@dehaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dehaven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/124 "2013-06-27T01:27:55Z")
[http://www.herpescure.webs.com/](http://www.herpescure.webs.com/) ---
**Author:** ![dehaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@dehaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dehaven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/125 "2013-06-27T01:29:15Z")
> **[A vaccine for herpes? Researchers discover immune cells that suppress HSV-2...](https://www.foxnews.com/health/a-vaccine-for-herpes-researchers-discover-immune-cells-that-suppress-hsv-2-infection)** > > A new study may provide hope for those suffering from genital herpes. Researchers have identified a subtype of immune cells that suppress outbreaks of genital herpes caused by the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). ---
**Author:** ![dehaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@dehaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dehaven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/126 "2013-06-27T01:30:50Z")
> **[Genital Herpes Treatments in the Pipeline](https://www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/genital-herpes-new-treatments)** > > Researchers are looking for new ways to fight genital herpes. WebMD tells you about promising treatments on the horizon. ---
**Author:** ![dehaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@dehaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dehaven)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/127 "2013-06-27T01:32:54Z")
> [@dehaven](#): > > [http://www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/guide/genital-herpes-new-treatments](http://www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/guide/genital-herpes-new-treatments) Two products that have made some progress tenofovir gel and siRNA nanoparticles, which would be applied to the vagina. Studies show these may be able to kill herpes, as well as some other sexually transmitted viruses, and even reduce the spread of the herpes virus from person to person. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/128 "2013-06-27T02:47:07Z")
> [@dehaven](#): > > Thanks for that info Ferret Herder. Notice I copied and pasted exactly as you posted it. So, the quotes are lacking in your post , too. And of course from the text itself, it is clear that it is a post and reply. [Here is my original post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15404089&postcount=33), for the confused. I was wondering what spurred you citing my post, as we were debating nanozyme research in that discussion nearly a year ago, not standard treatment methods. It’s clear that there are legitimate ways of treating HepC, thank goodness. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722/129 "2013-06-27T20:43:22Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Um, hydrocortisone is an immuno_suppresant_. That is, it shuts down the immune system. It’s used topically to decrease itching and swelling from bug bites, rashes, and other skin conditions. Itching and swelling are immune system reactions to proteins like mosquito saliva, urushiol (the stuff that makes poison ivy poison), and atopic eczema (which is an autoimmune disease). > > You’re actually _helping_ the herpes virus when you put hydrocortisone on an outbreak. Wellllll … (folks with an actual clue, please correct me as needed) … The virus uses the immune system response in order to transmit itself to other hosts. Without the active sore, it can’t spread. So, if we suppress the immune response, we get no sore, and it doesn’t spread: not really helping the virus! Of course, if there would be other (worse) symptoms caused by the active virus in the skin cells, that would be helping the virus, and if we let it go rampant, eventually in some host it could mutate to something that does transmit itself. But for most sufferers, the suffering (symptoms) would be gone. > [@Chronos](#): > > Besides which, if we ever do find a cure (or even a promising avenue towards a cure) for retroviruses, herpes would be a relatively low-priority target for it. Herpes is rather annoying, but HIV, for instance, kills. On the other hand, lots of people have it, and lots of people would like it gone, so there’d be a big market (for a cure that’s not prohibitively expensive, that is.) > [@Smeghead](#): > > In addition, due to the pesky fact that skin is, you know, intact, there is no clear way for it to penetrate into the nerve cells deep inside your face where the herpes virus actually lives. I thought I learned upthread that the dorman virus is actually in the ganglia near the spine. Please elucidate! > [@phouka](#): > > I believe there is a [_Scientific American_ article](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=infected-with-insanity) addressing the theory that microbes could be causative agents in certain types of mental illness, and I think this may be where I read it. However, I no longer have the issue, and the full article is behind a pay wall. I remember reading an article on this too. If it was SciAm, it was online or an article about an article, since I don’t currently get that. Unfortunately I don’t remember any more details to help search. But, if you’re crazy, then so am I. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/herpes-hsv-cure/618722.md?page=6)