Skip to content Skip to footer

Understanding the Herpes Virus Lifecycle: What Happens Inside the Body

Herpes simplex virus, or HSV, exists in two main forms: HSV-1, which is more commonly associated with oral infections, and HSV-2, which typically affects the genitals. Despite these general patterns, both types can infect either region. After a person is exposed to HSV, the virus doesn’t simply come and go—it stays with them for life. What begins with an initial outbreak quickly shifts into a much quieter but ongoing presence in the body.

This post explores how the herpes virus works inside the body—not just what it looks like on the outside. While symptoms like cold sores or genital lesions are often the focus, the real story is what happens behind the scenes. The herpes virus lifecycle includes periods of dormancy, reactivation, and interaction with the immune system that aren’t always visible—but they’re crucial to understanding how the virus behaves.

That understanding can offer reassurance. For many, learning how HSV settles into a mostly inactive state helps reduce fear and stigma. Outbreaks are not random or constant—they often have triggers like stress or illness. And importantly, they’re not a sign of personal failure. HSV is built to survive by lying low in the nervous system, and for most people, the immune system keeps it well under control most of the time.

By getting to know the virus’s lifecycle, people can feel more confident managing it—whether that means recognizing early signs of an outbreak, understanding treatment options, or simply feeling less alone in the experience.

How HSV Enters the Body

The herpes virus lifecycle begins at the point of entry—often through the soft, vulnerable linings of the body. HSV-1 and HSV-2 typically infect a person through mucous membranes in the mouth, genitals, or anus. These areas are especially susceptible during close physical contact, such as kissing or sex. Even small, invisible breaks in the skin can be enough for the virus to slip through and reach deeper layers where it can take hold.

Once inside, HSV targets the basal layer of epithelial tissue—the foundation of the skin and mucosa. These cells carry specific receptors that HSV is designed to recognize. Two of the most important are nectin-1 and HVEM (herpesvirus entry mediator), both of which are more exposed in these lower layers. When HSV finds these receptors, it attaches and begins the infection process.

Starting the Infection: Binding and Replication

After binding to its target receptors, HSV enters the host cell using one of two methods: either it fuses directly with the cell’s outer membrane or it’s taken in through a process called endocytosis. The method depends on the type of cell it encounters, but the result is the same. Once inside, HSV travels to the cell’s nucleus and releases its genetic material. There, it hijacks the cell’s machinery to make copies of itself. New viral particles are then assembled and released, ready to spread to neighboring cells.

The Body Responds: Immune Activation and Symptoms

As HSV replicates, the body’s immune system quickly gets involved. Epithelial cells recognize the virus using specialized sensors, triggering the release of chemical messengers called cytokines. These chemicals spark inflammation and call immune cells to the site of infection.

This early immune response often causes flu-like symptoms during a first outbreak—fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches—along with the visible sores. Dendritic cells, a type of immune messenger, also begin presenting viral material to T cells, helping to build a longer-term immune response that can recognize and fight HSV more effectively in the future.

While this first phase of the herpes virus lifecycle can be intense, it marks just the beginning of HSV’s much longer journey in the body—one that soon moves into a quieter, hidden phase.

Latency: The Hidden Phase in Nerve Cells

After HSV completes its initial activity in the skin or mucosa, it doesn’t disappear. Instead, it makes a quiet move into the nervous system—beginning a long-term, almost invisible phase in its lifecycle.

Following infection, HSV enters nearby sensory nerve endings and travels backward along the nerve fibers to the cell bodies located in nerve clusters called ganglia. This journey—called retrograde transport—brings HSV to places like the trigeminal ganglia (for oral HSV-1 infections) or the sacral ganglia (for genital HSV-2). These ganglia serve as safe zones for the virus, where immune surveillance is limited and the virus can remain hidden from detection.

Settling Into Latency

Once HSV reaches the nucleus of a nerve cell, it essentially powers down. It stops producing new virus particles and drastically reduces its activity. Only a small portion of its genetic material stays active, mainly a component called the latency-associated transcript (LAT). This transcript doesn’t cause symptoms or infection—but it plays an important role in helping the virus stay dormant.

LAT helps silence the genes that would normally trigger viral replication and also protects the nerve cell from self-destructing. As a result, the infected neuron survives, and HSV stays put—completely quiet, without shedding or triggering symptoms.

Staying Hidden from the Immune System

One reason HSV is so persistent is its ability to avoid immune detection during latency. It does this in several ways. For example, LAT can reduce the activity of immune cells that specifically target HSV, including CD8+ T cells. These immune cells become less responsive over time, making it harder for the body to clear the virus. HSV also interferes with important immune signals, like interferons, and affects how other immune cells—like dendritic cells—function.

All of this makes HSV latency an elegant strategy for long-term survival. The virus isn’t active, it doesn’t cause symptoms, and the immune system has a difficult time recognizing it’s even there. But this quiet phase is only part of the story. At any time, HSV can reactivate—and that’s where the next stage of the herpes virus lifecycle begins.

Reactivation: When HSV Wakes Up

While herpes simplex virus may lie dormant in the nervous system for long stretches of time, it isn’t gone. One of the defining features of the herpes virus lifecycle is its ability to reactivate—sometimes with visible symptoms, and other times without any signs at all.

Reactivation happens when certain internal or external conditions tip the balance in favor of the virus. These triggers can vary widely from person to person, but some of the most common include stress, fever, illness, menstruation, physical trauma, or even sun exposure. These factors create an environment in the body that allows HSV to reawaken from its latent state.

Physiological stress, in particular, has a strong effect. It activates the body’s stress hormone systems, including glucocorticoid pathways, which can influence gene expression and give HSV what it needs to begin replicating again. Likewise, a weakened immune system—whether due to illness, medication, or general immune suppression—can lower the body’s ability to keep the virus in check.

Returning to the Surface

Once reactivated, HSV doesn’t stay in the nerve cells. Instead, it travels back along the same nerve pathways to the surface of the skin or mucosal tissues where the original infection occurred. This process is known as anterograde transport. When it arrives, the virus starts replicating again, sometimes causing cold sores, genital ulcers, or other lesions.

In response, the immune system kicks back into action. Local immune cells work to contain the infection, often limiting how long symptoms last. However, in some cases, the immune response isn’t strong enough to completely prevent visible signs or shedding.

Silent Reactivation and Shedding

Not all reactivations produce noticeable symptoms. In fact, one of the most important—and often surprising—aspects of the herpes virus lifecycle is asymptomatic shedding. This means HSV can be active on the skin or mucosa without causing any sores or discomfort. Even in these quiet moments, the virus can still be passed to others.

This is why understanding reactivation is so important. Someone may feel perfectly fine and still be shedding the virus. People who rarely or never experience outbreaks can still transmit HSV without knowing it. The immune system does its best to suppress these events, particularly with help from CD8+ T cells that reside in tissues. But even with those defenses in place, HSV can find moments to resurface—often unpredictably.

Recognizing these dynamics not only helps explain the unpredictability of outbreaks but also underscores the importance of awareness and care in managing the virus, even during symptom-free periods.

Shedding: When HSV Is Contagious

One of the most important—and often misunderstood—parts of the herpes virus lifecycle is viral shedding. This is the process by which HSV is released from skin or mucosal surfaces, making it possible to spread the virus to another person. Shedding can happen in two ways: with symptoms (like cold sores or genital ulcers) or without any symptoms at all.

Symptomatic Shedding: Easier to Spot

During an active outbreak, HSV is replicating near the surface of the skin. This is when the virus is most visible and most contagious. Sores, tingling, pain, or redness all signal that the virus is shedding and can be passed to others through close contact.

The viral load—the amount of virus present—is usually at its highest during symptomatic episodes. This increases the likelihood of transmission, especially during kissing, sexual activity, or any skin-to-skin contact with the affected area.

Asymptomatic Shedding: Harder to Detect

What makes HSV particularly tricky is that it can also be contagious when there are no symptoms at all. This is called asymptomatic or silent shedding, and it accounts for a significant portion of herpes transmissions. A person may feel completely normal while still shedding virus and unknowingly putting a partner at risk.

In people with healthy immune systems, asymptomatic shedding tends to happen on about 3–10% of days. However, it can occur more often during the first year after infection or in individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those living with HIV.

Some people who believe they’re entirely symptom-free later recognize subtle signs—like mild tingling or sensitivity—once they know what to look for. Still, many episodes of silent shedding remain unnoticed, which is why understanding this part of the herpes virus lifecycle is so important for prevention.

Reducing Risk Through Treatment and Awareness

Daily antiviral medications, known as suppressive therapy, can significantly reduce both types of shedding. Valacyclovir and similar treatments lower the chances of transmission to a partner by nearly half, and they’re especially effective at preventing outbreaks that might cause discomfort or stigma.

While condoms and dental dams provide a barrier, they don’t fully protect against HSV because the virus can be present on skin not covered by protection. That’s why the most effective strategy combines suppressive therapy with barrier methods—and open, honest communication.

By understanding when HSV is most likely to be contagious, people can make more informed choices about intimacy, manage their own health more confidently, and reduce the risk of passing the virus to others without fear or shame.

How the Immune System Responds to HSV

The immune system plays a central role throughout the herpes virus lifecycle—fighting the virus during active outbreaks and helping keep it in check during periods of dormancy. While HSV is built to hide and persist, the body has several ways of detecting and responding to it, even if it can’t eliminate the virus entirely.

Defense During Active Infection

When HSV first enters the body or reactivates from latency, the immune system quickly mobilizes. The initial response comes from the innate immune system, which includes natural killer cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. These defenders act fast, working to contain the virus before the more specialized adaptive immune system takes over.

That next line of defense includes CD8+ T cells, which are trained to recognize HSV-infected cells. These cells travel to the site of infection and release compounds like interferon-gamma (IFN-Îł) and granzyme B that help destroy infected tissue and block viral replication. At the same time, CD4+ T cells provide support by enhancing the function of CD8+ cells and promoting broader immune coordination through signaling molecules known as cytokines.

Together, these immune responses are responsible for ending most outbreaks and helping symptoms resolve. But once HSV retreats to the nervous system and enters a latent phase, the immune landscape changes.

Why the Virus Isn’t Eliminated

HSV latency takes place in sensory neurons—cells located in nerve clusters like the trigeminal or sacral ganglia. These neurons are considered immune-privileged, meaning the immune system has limited access to them in order to avoid damaging sensitive nerve tissue. For HSV, this means the nervous system becomes a kind of safe harbor.

During latency, the virus shuts down nearly all gene expression, making it very difficult for the immune system to detect. Even so, not all defenses disappear. Tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells remain stationed in the ganglia, quietly monitoring for signs of reactivation. When they sense HSV beginning to stir, they release cytokines to help suppress the virus before it spreads. While this helps reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks, it doesn’t fully clear the infection.

Supporting the Immune System

Because HSV can’t be cured, one of the most effective management strategies is to support the immune system. Suppressive therapy, such as daily doses of acyclovir or valacyclovir, works by limiting the virus’s ability to replicate and lowering the frequency of both symptomatic and asymptomatic shedding.

Lifestyle also plays a role. Research has shown that good nutrition—such as maintaining adequate glutamine levels—can help support the metabolism of virus-fighting T cells. Managing stress is equally important. Chronic stress weakens immune responses and has been linked to more frequent reactivations. On the other hand, physical activity, rest, and emotional balance can help the body maintain control over HSV and reduce the number of outbreaks over time.

Understanding how the immune system responds to HSV adds another layer to the herpes virus lifecycle. It reveals not just the virus’s strategy, but also the body’s resilience—and how people can work with their immune systems to live more comfortably and confidently with the virus.

Differences Between HSV-1 and HSV-2 in the Lifecycle

Although HSV-1 and HSV-2 are closely related viruses, their behavior in the body—and especially their reactivation patterns—can differ in important ways. These differences affect not just where outbreaks tend to occur, but also how frequently they return and how the virus persists over time.

Where They Hide and Reactivate

One of the clearest distinctions in the herpes virus lifecycle is where each type tends to establish latency and reactivate. HSV-1 typically becomes dormant in the trigeminal ganglia, the nerve cluster that serves the face and mouth. That’s why HSV-1 is most often associated with oral cold sores.

By contrast, HSV-2 usually settles into the sacral ganglia, which serve the lower back and genital region. It’s the most common cause of recurrent genital herpes. These patterns aren’t just due to chance—they reflect how each virus interacts with specific types of neurons. HSV-1 shows a preference for facial and autonomic neurons, while HSV-2 more actively engages genital-associated nerve cells.

Frequency of Reactivation

Another key difference lies in how often each virus reactivates. Genital HSV-2 infections are generally much more recurrent than genital HSV-1 infections. Research has shown that HSV-2 can reactivate up to 15 times more frequently in the genital region than HSV-1.

This is partly due to HSV-2’s ability to maintain higher amounts of latent viral DNA and express more of the viral components needed for reactivation. As a result, HSV-2 is also more likely to cause asymptomatic shedding, which can make it harder to predict and manage.

How the Site of Infection Shapes the Experience

The place where HSV first enters the body can have a lasting impact on how it behaves. For example, someone exposed to HSV-1 through oral-genital contact might develop latency in either the mouth or the genitals, depending on which nerves the virus reaches first. That determines where future outbreaks are likely to occur.

Even deeper differences show up at the neuronal level. HSV-1 and HSV-2 express their latency-related signals in different types of nerve cells—affecting how likely they are to reactivate in certain regions. HSV-1 can even reactivate from autonomic ganglia like those behind the eyes, while HSV-2 is more closely tied to sensory ganglia in the lower spine.

These variations don’t mean one type is more “serious” than the other—they simply reflect how each virus has adapted to survive and spread. Knowing the distinctions between HSV-1 and HSV-2 can help people better understand their own experience with the virus, anticipate patterns, and make informed decisions about care and prevention.

Implications for Managing and Preventing HSV Transmission

Understanding the herpes virus lifecycle isn’t just about science—it has real, practical value for people living with HSV. From timing medication to making decisions about intimacy, knowing how the virus behaves helps put people back in control.

Timing Antivirals for Maximum Impact

Antiviral medications can be used in two main ways. Some people take them episodically, at the first sign of an outbreak. Others opt for suppressive therapy, taking medication daily to prevent outbreaks before they start. Suppressive therapy is especially helpful for those who experience frequent recurrences, as it reduces both symptoms and asymptomatic shedding.

Timing matters. Antivirals are most effective when started during the prodrome phase—those early warning signs like tingling, itching, or burning that often signal an outbreak is coming. Taking medication at this stage can sometimes prevent sores from appearing altogether.

Researchers are also developing new treatments. One promising approach involves helicase–primase inhibitors, which may improve control of breakthrough viral shedding—those moments when HSV becomes active despite treatment.

Recognizing the Signs of Reactivation

Knowing your own body can be one of the most powerful tools for managing HSV. Many people begin to recognize personal patterns or subtle signs that reactivation is occurring, even when no sores are visible. These early cues allow for timely use of antivirals and safer choices around intimacy.

That said, not all reactivations come with symptoms. HSV can still be active in the body, shedding virus even when nothing feels out of the ordinary. Learning about subclinical reactivation helps people better understand their condition and reinforces the importance of consistent management, even when everything seems quiet.

Making Informed Choices About Intimacy

One of the more challenging parts of living with HSV is navigating sexual relationships and disclosure. Because HSV can be transmitted even when no symptoms are present, conversations about the virus—though sometimes uncomfortable—are an important part of protecting both partners.

Suppressive therapy helps here, too. Daily medication can reduce the risk of transmission to a partner by nearly half and lowers the frequency of viral shedding by up to 80 percent. Combined with barrier protection and open communication, it’s a strong strategy for reducing risk.

Disclosure isn’t just about safety; it’s about trust. Knowing when HSV is most likely to be contagious—and being honest about that—can help couples make informed, respectful decisions together. For many, this understanding builds stronger, more connected relationships.

FAQs About the HSV Lifecycle

Understanding how herpes simplex virus behaves over time can bring a lot of clarity—and sometimes relief. Below are answers to a few common questions about the herpes virus lifecycle that often come up in medical appointments or online forums.

Can you kill the virus completely?

There’s no cure for HSV, but it can be managed very effectively.

Once HSV enters the body, it establishes lifelong latency in nerve cells, most often in the trigeminal or sacral ganglia. Because the virus goes nearly silent during this phase—producing little to no detectable protein—the immune system can’t fully eliminate it.

Standard antiviral medications, like acyclovir and valacyclovir, work by limiting viral replication during outbreaks or reactivation. These treatments help reduce symptoms and the risk of transmission, but they don’t remove the virus from the body. Even with consistent therapy, reactivation is still possible.

That said, researchers are exploring promising new options. Experimental treatments, such as gene-editing therapies, have shown early success in animal studies by significantly reducing the amount of latent HSV DNA. While these are still in the preclinical stage, they offer hope for more definitive solutions in the future.

Can you still transmit it during latency?

Yes. Even when no symptoms are present, HSV can be transmitted through asymptomatic shedding.

This occurs when the virus reactivates at a low level and travels from the nerve cells to the skin or mucosal surface—without causing visible sores. Shedding may happen intermittently and unpredictably, but it still carries a risk of transmission to partners.

In fact, asymptomatic shedding is one of the main reasons HSV spreads, particularly in cases where someone doesn’t know they’re infected. Being aware of this possibility allows people to take precautions, like using suppressive therapy or barrier protection, even during symptom-free periods.

Does the virus always reactivate in the same place?

Most of the time, yes—but not always.

HSV typically reactivates near the original site of infection. For instance, HSV-1 latency in the trigeminal ganglia usually leads to outbreaks on the lips or face. HSV-2 in the sacral ganglia tends to cause genital symptoms.

However, in some cases—especially if multiple nerve sites were affected early on—the virus may reactivate in a different area. This is less common, but it does happen. Stress, illness, or experimental conditions can influence where and how reactivation occurs.

Knowing your own typical pattern can be helpful for recognizing early symptoms and deciding when to take antiviral medication or adjust your routines to prevent spread.

References

Amin, I., Younas, S., Afzal, S., Shahid, M., & Idrees, M. (2019). Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Host Antiviral Immune Responses: An Update. Viral Immunology.

Aubert, M., Haick, A., Strongin, D., Klouser, L. M., Loprieno, M., Stensland, L., Santo, T. K., Huang, M.-L. W., Hyrien, O., Stone, D., & Jerome, K. (2022). AAV-delivered gene editing for latent genital or orofacial herpes simplex virus infection reduces ganglionic viral load and minimizes subsequent viral shedding in mice. bioRxiv. 

Bedoui, S., & Greyer, M. (2014). The role of dendritic cells in immunity against primary herpes simplex virus infections. Frontiers in Microbiology.

Bertke, A., Patel, A., & Krause, P. (2007). Herpes Simplex Virus Latency-Associated Transcript Sequence Downstream of the Promoter Influences Type-Specific Reactivation and Viral Neurotropism. Journal of Virology, 81(13), 6605–6613.

Bertke, A., Patel, A., Imai, Y., Apakupakul, K., Margolis, T., & Krause, P. (2009). Latency-Associated Transcript (LAT) Exon 1 Controls Herpes Simplex Virus Species-Specific Phenotypes. Journal of Virology, 83(19), 10007–10015.

Bloom, D., & Dhummakupt, A. (2016). The Herpes Simplex Viruses.

Buela, K. A. G., Frank, G. M., Knicklebein, J., & Hendricks, R. (2010). Immunopathogenesis of HSV Keratitis.

Bystrická, M., & Russ, G. (2005). Immunity in latent Herpes simplex virus infection. Acta Virologica, 49(3), 159–167.

Chentoufi, A., Kritzer, E., Tran, M., Dasgupta, G., Afifi, R. E., Jiang, X., … & BenMohamed, L. (2011). The Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Promotes Functional Exhaustion of Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cells. Journal of Virology, 85, 9127–9138.

Chentoufi, A.A., Dervillez, X., Dasgupta, G., Nguyen, C., Kabbara, K.W., Jiang, X., Nesburn, A.B., Wechsler, S.L., & BenMohamed, L. (2012). The Simplex Virus Type 1 Latency-Associated Transcript Inhibits Phenotypic and Functional Maturation of Dendritic Cells.

Cheshenko, N., Trépanier, J., González, P., Eugenin, E., Jacobs, W., & Herold, B. (2014). Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Glycoprotein H Interacts with Integrin αvβ3. Journal of Virology, 88, 10026–10038.

Corey, L., & Ashley, R. (2004). Prevention of herpes simplex virus type 2 transmission with antiviral therapy. Herpes: The Journal of the IHMF, 11(Suppl 3), 170A–174A.

De La Cruz, N. C., Möckel, M., Wirtz, L., Sunaoglu, K., Malter, W., Zinser, M., & Knebel-Mörsdorf, D. (2021). Ex Vivo Infection of Human Skin with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Reveals Mechanical Wounds as Insufficient Entry Portals via the Skin Surface. Journal of virology, 95(21), e0133821.

Decman, V., Freeman, M. L., Kinchington, P. R., & Hendricks, R. L. (2005). Immune control of HSV-1 latency. Viral immunology, 18(3), 466–473.

Egan, K. P., Wu, S., Wigdahl, B., & Jennings, S. R. (2013). Immunological control of herpes simplex virus infections. Journal of neurovirology, 19(4), 328–345.

Erlich, K. S. (1997). Management of herpes simplex and varicella-zoster virus infections. Western Journal of Medicine, 166, 211–215.

Glaser, R., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (1997). Chronic stress modulates the virus-specific immune response to latent herpes simplex virus type 1. Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 19(2), 78–82.

Groves, M. J. (2016). Genital Herpes: A Review. American Family Physician, 93(11), 928–934.

Guo, H., Pang, K., Wei, Y., Yi, C., & Wu, X. (2015). Herpes virus entry mediator in human corneal epithelial cells modulates the production of inflammatory cytokines in response to HSV type 1 challenge. Ophthalmic research, 54(3), 128–134.

Harrison, K. S., & Jones, C. (2022). Regulation of herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-reactivation cycle and ocular disease by cellular signaling pathways. Experimental eye research, 218, 109017.

Jamieson, D. (1993). Structural studies on the herpes simplex virus type 1 genome during latency.

Jones, C. (2015). Reactivation from latency by α-herpesvirinae subfamily members: a stressful situation.

Khanna, K. M., Bonneau, R. H., Kinchington, P. R., & Hendricks, R. L. (2003). Herpes simplex virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells are selectively activated and retained in latently infected sensory ganglia. Immunity, 18(5), 593–603.

Khanna, K. M., Lepisto, A. J., Decman, V., & Hendricks, R. L. (2004). Immune control of herpes simplex virus during latency. Current opinion in immunology, 16(4), 463–469.

Koelle, D., & Wald, A. (2000). Herpes simplex virus: the importance of asymptomatic shedding. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 45(Suppl T3), 1–8. 

Koopaie, M., Esmaily, F., & Kharazifard, M. (2018). Assessment of Oral Shedding of Herpes Simplex Virus Before and After Dental Treatment.

Lafferty, W. E., Coombs, R. W., Benedetti, J., Critchlow, C., & Corey, L. (1987). Recurrences after oral and genital herpes simplex virus infection. The New England Journal of Medicine, 316(23), 1444–1449. /

Landry, M. L., Myerson, D., & Bull, C. (1992). Recurrent genital infection in the guinea pig: differences between herpes simplex types 1 and 2. Intervirology, 34(4), 169–179.

Lee, S., Ives, A. M., & Bertke, A. S. (2015). Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Reactivates from Autonomic Ciliary Ganglia Independently from Sensory Trigeminal Ganglia To Cause Recurrent Ocular Disease. Journal of virology, 89(16), 8383–8391.

Lekstrom-Himes, J. A., Pesnicak, L., & Straus, S. E. (1998). The quantity of latent viral DNA correlates with the relative rates at which herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 cause recurrent genital herpes outbreaks. Journal of virology, 72(4), 2760–2764.

Leone, P. (2005). Reducing the risk of transmitting genital herpes: advances in understanding and therapy. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 21, 1577–1582. 

Liao, Y., Lian, Y., Li, Q., Fan, S., Liu, L., Wang, J., Feng, M., Liu, J., & Zhang, Y. (2018). Signaling Molecules in Innate Immune Response Induced by HSV1 and HSV2. Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology, 38, 641–651.

Lindell, D. M., Lane, T. E., & Lukacs, N. W. (2008). CXCL10/CXCR3-mediated responses promote immunity to respiratory syncytial virus infection by augmenting dendritic cell and CD8(+) T cell efficacy. European journal of immunology, 38(8), 2168–2179.

Low-Calle, A. M., Prada-Arismendy, J., & Castellanos, J. E. (2014). Study of interferon-β antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 in neuron-enriched trigeminal ganglia cultures. Virus research, 180, 49–58.

Manzano, G. S., Danish, H. H., Chu, C. J., & Kimchi, E. Y. (2021). Child Neurology: Intractable Epilepsy and Transient Deficits in a Patient With a History of Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis. Neurology, 96(14), 679–681.

Morand P. (2002). Histoire naturelle de l’infection Ă  herpès simplex de type 1 et 2. ExcrĂ©tion virale asymptomatique. Transmission mère-enfant. Transmission indirecte [Natural history of HSV1 and HSV2 infection. Asymptomatic viral excretion. Mother-infant transmission. Indirect transmission]. Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie, 129(4 Pt 2), 577–585.

Nguyen, N., Burkhart, C. N., & Burkhart, C. G. (2010). Identifying potential pitfalls in conventional herpes simplex virus management. International journal of dermatology, 49(9), 987–993.

Ostler, J. B., & Jones, C. (2021). Stress Induced Transcription Factors Transactivate the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infected Cell Protein 27 (ICP27) Transcriptional Enhancer. Viruses, 13(11), 2296.

Patel, R., Barton, S. E., Brown, D., Cowan, F. M., Kinghorn, G. R., Munday, P. E., Scoular, A., Timmins, D., Whittaker, M., Woolley, P., Herpes Simplex Virus Special Interest Group of the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases, United Kingdom, & European Branch of the International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infection and the European Office of the World Health Organization (2001). European guideline for the management of genital herpes. International journal of STD & AIDS, 12 Suppl 3, 34–39.

Pereira, F. (1996). Herpes simplex: evolving concepts. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 35(4), 503–520.

Perng, G. C., & Jones, C. (2010). Towards an understanding of the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-reactivation cycle. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases, 2010, Article ID 262415. Perng, G. C., & Jones, C. (2010). Towards an understanding of the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-reactivation cycle. Interdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases, 2010, 262415.

Raborn, G. W., & Grace, M. G. (2003). Recurrent herpes simplex labialis: selected therapeutic options. Journal (Canadian Dental Association), 69(8), 498–503.

Sacks, S. L., Griffiths, P. D., Corey, L., Cohen, C., Cunningham, A., Dusheiko, G. M., Self, S., Spruance, S., Stanberry, L. R., Wald, A., & Whitley, R. J. (2004). Introduction: Is viral shedding a surrogate marker for transmission of genital herpes?. Antiviral research, 63 Suppl 1, S3–S9.

Sayers, C. L., & Elliott, G. (2016). Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Enters Human Keratinocytes by a Nectin-1-Dependent, Rapid Plasma Membrane Fusion Pathway That Functions at Low Temperature. Journal of virology, 90(22), 10379–10389.

Schelhaas, M., Jansen, M., Haase, I., & Knebel-Mörsdorf, D. (2003). Herpes simplex virus type 1 exhibits a tropism for basal entry in polarized epithelial cells. The Journal of general virology, 84(Pt 9), 2473–2484.

Schiffer, J. T., & Corey, L. (2013). Rapid host immune response and viral dynamics in herpes simplex virus-2 infection. Nature medicine, 19(3), 280–290.

Schiffer, J. T., Mayer, B. T., Fong, Y., Swan, D. A., & Wald, A. (2014). Herpes simplex virus-2 transmission probability estimates based on quantity of viral shedding. Journal of the Royal Society, Interface, 11(95), 20140160.

Shimomura, Yoshikazu MD, PhD; Higaki, Shiro MD, PhD. The Kinetics of Herpes Virus on the Ocular Surface and Suppression of Its Reactivation. Cornea 30():p S3-S7, October 2011. | DOI: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e3182282005 

Sköldenberg, B. (1997). Genital Herpes: Past, Present and Future. Antiviral Chemistry and Chemotherapy, 8, 43.

Srivastava, R., Dervillez, X., Khan, A. A., Chentoufi, A. A., Chilukuri, S., Shukr, N., Fazli, Y., Ong, N. N., Afifi, R. E., Osorio, N., Geertsema, R., Nesburn, A. B., Wechsler, S. L., & BenMohamed, L. (2016). The Herpes Simplex Virus Latency-Associated Transcript Gene Is Associated with a Broader Repertoire of Virus-Specific Exhausted CD8+ T Cells Retained within the Trigeminal Ganglia of Latently Infected HLA Transgenic Rabbits. Journal of virology, 90(8), 3913–3928.

Straus, S. E., Rooney, J. F., & Hallahan, C. (1996). Acyclovir suppresses subclinical shedding of herpes simplex virus. Annals of internal medicine, 125(9), 776–777.

Sucato, G., Wald, A., Wakabayashi, E., Vieira, J., & Corey, L. (1998). Evidence of latency and reactivation of both herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and HSV-2 in the genital region. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 177(4), 1069–1072.

Sullivan, B. A. (2015). Studies in the immune control of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency: the role of CD4+ T cells and IL-10 in HSV-1 latency.

Sun, B., Wang, Q., & Pan, D. (2019). Zhejiang da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences, 48(1), 89–101.

Taylor, T. J., Brockman, M. A., McNamee, E. E., & Knipe, D. M. (2002). Herpes simplex virus. Frontiers in bioscience : a journal and virtual library, 7, d752–d764.

Tebaldi, G., Pritchard, S. M., & Nicola, A. V. (2020). Herpes Simplex Virus Entry by a Nonconventional Endocytic Pathway. Journal of virology, 94(24), e01910-20.

Van de Perre, P., & Nagot, N. (2012). Herpes simplex virus: a new era?. Lancet (London, England), 379(9816), 598–599.

Wang, K., Hoshino, Y., Dowdell, K., Bosch-Marce, M., Myers, T. G., Sarmiento, M., Pesnicak, L., Krause, P. R., & Cohen, J. I. (2017). Glutamine supplementation suppresses herpes simplex virus reactivation. The Journal of clinical investigation, 127(7), 2626–2630.

Yoshikawa, T., Hill, J. M., Stanberry, L. R., Bourne, N., Kurawadwala, J. F., & Krause, P. R. (1996). The characteristic site-specific reactivation phenotypes of HSV-1 and HSV-2 depend upon the latency-associated transcript region. The Journal of experimental medicine, 184(2), 659–664.

Zhu, S., & Viejo-Borbolla, A. (2021). Pathogenesis and virulence of herpes simplex virus. Virulence, 12(1), 2670–2702.

HSV Health

We'll Help You Get Back
to Healthy Living

Subscribe for Updates

HSV Health / Genesis Laser Health © 2025. All Rights Reserved.