Exploring Promising Advances in Herpes Research: A Potential Cure and Its Impact
Talking about a cure for herpes is somewhat of a controversial discussion among those working to defeat its stigma. However, I find that communicating scientific research, as well as social science, is necessary to inform my work and further my education. This is why SexELDucation has partnered with @fredhutch Cancer Research Center, an NCI-designated cancer center, located in Seattle.
Drs. Keith Jerome & Martine Aubert (pictured on second slide) and his team recently published a paper in Nature Communications that shows great promise in the destruction of 95% of the herpes virus in nerve clusters of mice through gene therapy. At this time, Dr. Jerome’s work focuses on HSV-1, but the results of this study show great promise for future work with HSV-2.
Dr. Jerome, who is also leading Fred Hutch and the University of Washington through COVID-19, asserts that, “This is the first time that anybody has been able to go in and actually eliminate most of herpes in the body.”
Do I think that a cure for herpes will remove its social stigma? Not in my mind, especially if we consider the various stigmas associated with mental health, despite the available medications and treatment methods.
What I do believe is that a more permanent solution to treating herpes could provide those who suffer through painful, consistent outbreaks a more sustainable, peaceful, and less shameful way of living.