Herpesvirus study leads to discovery of broad-spectrum antiviral
Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A study in mice by the National Institutes of Health has uncovered a potential broad-spectrum antiviral that may be effective against herpesvirus.Two-thirds of the world's population are infected with HSV-1 and roughly 500 million have HSV-2, according to the World Health Organization.When a person is infected with the herpes simplex virus, or HSV, the virus can persist in the body in a latent form, which can reactivate, causing recurrent infection.HSV can cause a variety of diseases, including oral cold sores, genital lesions, serious eye conditions and blindness.Recurrent HSV can lead to ocular HSV infections causing corneal scarring, and neonatal infections can lead to developmental delays, neurological issues and death. People infected with HSV are also at an increased...