Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a silent threat with far-reaching consequences—one that is often underestimated. Beyond its visible symptoms, HSV is linked to serious health complications, including:
• Increased risk of HIV: People with HSV are three times more likely to contract HIV, making it a major public health concern.
• Neurological Issues: HSV has been connected to encephalitis, Alzheimer’s, and dementia, causing long-term brain damage.
• Nerve Damage: The virus causes chronic nerve pain (neuropathy), which can severely affect quality of life.
• Neonatal Herpes: HSV can be deadly for newborns, leading to life-threatening complications when transmitted during childbirth.
Despite these risks, no permanent cure currently exists, and medications that manage symptoms have been in use for over 40 years—and they are not a cure. These outdated treatments do little more than semi suppress symptoms, leaving millions to cope with the ongoing physical, emotional, and social toll of the virus.
Yet the curing of herpes is highly possible due to:
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No Integration into the Genome - Unlike HIV, which inserts its genetic material into the hosts DNA (making it nearly impossible to remove completely), HSV stays separate as a circular episome in nerve cells. Gene-editing tools like CRISPR or gene therapy approaches can potentially target and eliminate HSV without the risk of altering the hosts genome.
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Gene Editing Success - There have already been promising gene-editing approaches for HSV, such as the work from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Excision BioTherapeutics, which show potential for eliminating the virus from infected cells.
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Recognition by Health and Human Services (HHS) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has acknowledged HSV as a significant public health concern and included it in their addendum. This recognition helps bring more attention to the need for research and potential cures, further supporting efforts in gene editing and other advanced treatments.
The time for a cure is now. Every day we delay, millions suffer from HSV-related health issues that go far beyond cold sores or genital outbreaks.
We must increase awareness, support gene therapies, and advocate for more resources to speed up research. Our health, our future, our families and upcoming generations, depend on it. Let’s push for a world without herpes, starting today.
Let’s vote yes today to show them we want and need to get rid of herpes once and for all.