Human Herpes Virus 6B Is Associated With Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

broadcast submitted, created time 1 year 5 months (www.sciencedaily.com)

There is strong evidence that one particular type of epilepsy is associated with a viral infection, according to new research. The international group of researchers, led by Steve Jacobson from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, USA, found DNA from the virus, Human Herpes Virus 6B (HHV-6B) in specific regions of the brains in 11 of 16 patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) referred for investigation compared with zero of seven (0%) patients without MTLE.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Herpes Virus Epilepsy

Herpes infection may be symbiotic, help beat back some bacteria

athena submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.biologynews.net)

"Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis attributed the surprising finding to changes in the immune system triggered by the long-term presence of a latent herpes virus infection. In latent viral infections, the virus is present for the lifetime of the host in a relatively quiescent form that does not cause overt symptoms. "

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: immune system latent herpes virus viral infections herpes virus bacteria

'Insulator' helps silence genes in dormant herpes virus

collapsar submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.eurekalert.org)

By adulthood, most people have suffered at least one bout of painful cold sores brought on by the Herpes simplex virus 1, also known as HSV-1. After the initial infection, the virus usually remains in the body, hiding out in nearby nerve cells where the victim's immune defenses cannot reach it, causing no symptoms at all.
In order to escape detection by the body's immune system, the latent virus works to silence genes that would cause it to replicate

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: herpes virus

Jefferson researchers' discovery may change thinking on how viruses invade the brain

amanda submitted, created time 1 year 7 months (www.biologynews.net)

"A molecule thought crucial to ferrying the deadly rabies virus into the brain, where it eventually kills, apparently isn’t. The surprising finding, say researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, may change the way scientists think about how central nervous system-attacking viruses such as herpes viruses invade the brain and cause disease. "

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: rabies virus rabies nervous system-attacking viruses herpes virus