In addition to the annoying blisters, fever and tumor diseases that have been proven to be caused by herpes, herpes viruses are also suspected of causing many other diseases. Evidence of this is provided by the simultaneous occurrence of herpes viruses and disease markers in the blood in these diseases.
One of the more harmless ones is the scaly, patchy skin disease rose lichen, which primarily affects the torso as well as the upper arms and thighs. It is believed that the pink rash occurs when herpes viruses HHV-6 or HHV-7 are reactivated. However, it usually heals after eight weeks.
Some herpes viruses are suspected of being involved in the development of Alzheimer’s dementia. © peterschreiber.media / iStock
Alzheimer’s caused by herpes viruses
There is a more serious suspicion that herpes could also lead to Alzheimer’s dementia. More precisely: a combination of a herpes simplex virus and the varicella zoster virus. Studies suggest that if these two pathogens of cold sores and chickenpox come together in the brain and are reactivated there, this can trigger the protein deposits typical of Alzheimer’s.
“Our results suggest that varicella infection causes inflammatory signals in the brain, which in turn wake up herpes simplex,” explains Dana Carins from Tufts University in Massachusetts. “It’s a double whammy from two viruses that are very common but mostly harmless when viewed alone. But when they come together, it can cause problems.”
But the herpes simplex virus alone doubles the risk of dementia, as researchers recently found out. “More and more studies are emerging that indicate that the herpes simplex virus is a risk factor for dementia,” says Erika Vestin from Uppsala University. (two: 10.3233/JAD-230718)
It is believed that some Long Covid symptoms are due to a reactivation of herpes viruses. © Yurii Yarema / iStock
Does herpes lead to Long Covid?
The herpes viruses HHV-6 and Epstein-Barr are also suspected of being reactivated during a corona infection with the Sars-CoV-2 virus. They are therefore considered possible causes of severe Covid-19 and Long Covid symptoms. “We observed that many of the symptoms associated with Long Covid are very similar to those that can occur when the Epstein-Barr virus is reactivated,” explain researchers led by Jeffrey Gold from the World Organization in the USA.
These include fatigue, sleep disorders, digestive problems, headaches, fever, skin rashes, but also neurological disorders. “Patients with Long Covid and active EBV most frequently complained of fatigue, headaches, muscle weakness and confusion,” report Gold and his team.
A “supervillain” called HHV-6?
According to recent studies, HHV-6 is also suspected of causing or contributing to numerous other diseases after its reactivation. In addition to ringworm and Long Covid, the list of potential long-term consequences of this herpes virus also includes chronic fatigue syndrome, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) could also be caused by the “supervillain” HHV-6, but the Epstein-Barr virus and retroviruses are also considered possible MS triggers. These suspected cases show that, despite their almost ubiquitous occurrence, there are still many unanswered questions about herpes viruses. For researchers, however, the question is not only whether these viruses cause certain diseases, but also how this can be prevented.
September 27, 2024 – Claudia Krapp
