The history of the herpes virus is well documented in the writings of Hippocrates, some 2,500 years ago. The Greek scholar described the spread of herpes as “the disease of crawling and crawling.” Scientific research has identified more than 5,000 different strains of the herpes virus. Eight of these strains cause disease in humans:

1. Herpes simplex virus I: cold sores
2. Herpes simplex virus II: genital herpes
3. Varicella zoster virus: chickenpox and shingles
4. Human Herpes Virus 6: Roseola
5. Human herpes virus 8: Kaposi’s sarcoma
6. Epstein-Barr virus
7. Cytomegalovirus
8. Human B-lymphotropic virus

There are two types of VHS. Type 1 manifests as common cold sores, and type 2 usually manifests as genital lesions (although in some cases, type 2 has manifested as cold sores with many of the same properties). Since the lesions commonly affect the lips or the areas bordering the lips, the condition is also known as recurrent cold sores.

The herpes virus settles permanently in the body once it is introduced. The peak incidence of primary HSV type 1 infection is at two to three years of age, but new cases appear in all age groups due to the highly contagious nature of the virus. It is estimated that only 15% of the population experiences primary infection in adulthood. The disease is believed to be transmitted by direct contact. Virus shedding persists in body secretions for 15 to 42 days after the onset of the primary herpes infection.

After an initial infection, some people develop effective immunity; however, 20% to 45% have recurrent lesions. In North America, approximately seven percent of the general population has two or more episodes of cold sores per year. In these cases, the virus goes underground, escaping the host’s immune system by lying dormant in a specific group of cells, causing no apparent harm to the host during periods of inactivity. The exact cell in which they lie dormant varies from virus to virus. In cells harboring the latent virus, the viral genomes take the form of closed molecules and only a small subset of viral genes are expressed.

The incubation period for HSV varies from two to twelve days. After an infection, the virus hides by entering nerve endings and traveling to ganglia (clusters of nerve cells). Recurrence of viral infection varies, but certain factors are known to trigger recurrence in humans: fever, emotional stress, physical trauma, systemic infections, ultraviolet light, and menstruation. People whose stamina is compromised (less than normal) may experience more severe injuries with slower healing. An infection recurs when the virus becomes active in the ganglia and travels down the nerve to the surface of the skin where it replicates. Recurrence occurs in phases:

A. Prodrome: Tingling and itching before the visual outbreak; warning symptoms that last less than six hours.
b. Inflammation: Swelling and redness at the site before the outbreak; an indication that the virus and antibodies have arrived.
vs. Vesicular: blisters appearing within 1 to 2 days after the prodrome of one or more vesicles, or small red bumps commonly found on the vermilion border of the lip.
d. Ulcers: Actual sores that form within 3 days of the prodrome, often accompanied by pain; Leak fluid blisters.
my. Scabs: The sores dry and scab over within 4 days to indicate healing; the virus subsides and the wound heals in two or three days.
F. Healing: Complete within 8-10 days; new skin forms; virus replication is complete. The virus is shed into the host’s ganglia where it remains protected from host immunological attack.

Evidenced by the common recurrence, even the best medical treatments have failed to rid humanity of the herpes virus. It has been proposed that antiviral treatments may lead to resistant and perhaps more dangerous strains of the virus. As you can see, this virus represents a serious challenge for the medical community and a health problem for the general public.

Fortunately, when it comes to flare-ups, Medavir, a pharmaceutical-grade, over-the-counter product, is meeting that challenge. Medavir was developed by scientists and tested by a team of doctors and scientists from America’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Medavir is not a herbal or dietary supplement that is often found on the internet falsely claiming to cure the herpes virus.