Cold Sore Gene Discovered By Massachusetts Researchers
One of two closely related viruses that are both identified as herpes – the cold sore is caused by something called the herpes simplex virus type 1, or HSV-1 for short. As most sufferers of the condition will know, once the virus enters the body it can never be removed, leaving some patients to suffer from regular and painful outbreaks of cold sores around the mouth.
Until now, scientists have been unable to discover why the human reaction to the virus varies so much from patient to patient; why some people endure multiple outbreaks every year while others may only rarely feel discomfort. However, in a joint study from the University of Utah and the University of Massachusetts, researchers believe they may have found the first gene directly related to frequent cold sore outbreaks.
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