what is your opinion?

derek27

simple observation i made recently so decided to follow up with a little research...

coldsores! seem not to be a problem for people from the late 30's upwards.

anybody hazard a chance at trying to explain why?

Panserborn

(This really is a guess!!!!)

Coldsores are caused (usually) by the HSV virus. Once infected, it very difficult to get rid of because when the immune system cops on that an infection is taking place the virus retreats into the nervous system where it essentially hides until the immune system loses interest. After a while, the virus will move out again and the cycle repeats.

It may be possible that the more the virus "moves out", the quicker the immune system learns to recognize it. By your 30s its possible the virus is recognized so quickly that you don't have time to become symptomatic.

derek27

yes, that was something i had been thinking along the lines of. there are the two types of HSV (HSV-1 and HSV-2), type 1 being considered to be the one that causes oral herpes, and type 2 considered to be responsible for genital herpes. type 1 is known to establish its latency in the trigeminal ganglion and type 2 establishes latency in the saccral ganglion, where i would suspect that their almost continuouus residence there after acquisition means that direct immunity against the virus becomes established in these ganglia. however, both types of virus can cause both oral and genital herpes. my initial observation was that coldsores dont seem to be a problem in older people, so if immunity is developed against the viruses after recurrent symptomatic episodes between latency periods, then wouldn't that mean that genital herpes shouldn't be a problem with older people either, as if immunity is responsible for the decline of coldsores in older people it should also display a parallel decline in genital herpes among the same cohort? but the factor that negates this is that genital herpes continues to be a problem pretty much regardless of age. feedback>...

Panserborn

True, but the main fact is that HSV 1 and 2 (while very similar) are different. The presence or absence of just one protein spike on the outer viral coat can let the virus evade the immune system much more efficiently.

Also, the period between the virus moving from the ganglia to actual symptoms appearing may be different between HSV 1 and 2, allowing the immune system enough time to stop the oral symptoms but not enough to prevent the genital lesions.

derek27

yes. thats all correct. i'm reading some journals atm to find out more. it does seem that the immune response with recurrent episodes is the critical factor and that the immunity acquired to HSV-2 differs somewhat in that genital herpes in older people seems to be caused by 2 in the majority of those case, whereas it can be either 1 or 2 in the younger group. however, the virulence of 2 appears to be less than 1,and a lot of cases of genital herpes at this stage of life dont appear to be so serious.

Wibbs

A question. I (nor any close family relative I know of) has ever had a coldsore. I've certainly been exposed. two ex girlfriends of mine used to get them pretty badly and I was close enough(ahem) on quite a few occasions to be exposed. Does this mean I'm immune? An uncle of mine never got them either, yet his wife of many years gets them a lot. Just wondering.

Never got warts either, but they seem to have gone out of fashion. I never seem to see them nowadays at the rate I saw them as a kid.

Enii

Anyone take Lysine for their coldsores. My friend swears by it.....

John

Wibbs wrote:

A question. I (nor any close family relative I know of) has ever had a coldsore. I've certainly been exposed. two ex girlfriends of mine used to get them pretty badly and I was close enough(ahem) on quite a few occasions to be exposed. Does this mean I'm immune? An uncle of mine never got them either, yet his wife of many years gets them a lot. Just wondering.

Never got warts either, but they seem to have gone out of fashion. I never seem to see them nowadays at the rate I saw them as a kid.

Coldsores are only infectious when the blister has formed. So once you can see and avoid it then you're unlikely to be infected.

Wibbs

Fair point John2, but myself and others have been exposed time and time again yet still remain coldsore free? There must be something else going on. If it was that difficult to catch how come so many have coldsores?

John

I couldn't tell you to be honest, I spent most of our virology lectures hiding behind the person in front to escape the scary photos of STDs being projected onto a frickin' massive screen.

DrIndy

Wibbs wrote:

Fair point John2, but myself and others have been exposed time and time again yet still remain coldsore free? There must be something else going on. If it was that difficult to catch how come so many have coldsores?

Don't get drunk and score randomers with coldsores!

DrIndy

John2 wrote:

I couldn't tell you to be honest, I spent most of our virology lectures hiding behind the person in front to escape the scary photos of STDs being projected onto a frickin' massive screen.

Och, would this be by the wonderful Cyril Smyth?

Wibbs

DrIndy wrote:

Don't get drunk and score randomers with coldsores!

Git. Maybe Guinness has a protective effect. This could mean Kernels anti ulcer alcohol infusion regime has other clinical effects. May I suggest a nice juicy research grant. I myself would be more than willing to act as a test subject.

John

DrIndy wrote:

Och, would this be by the wonderful Cyril Smyth?

No, Greg Atkins