Latest news with #coldsores
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bec Judd makes startling health confession as she aims to be 'completely transparent' on her Vain-ish podcast
Rebecca Judd has opened up about her struggle with cold sores. The AFL WAG, 42, took to Instagram on Monday to share a snap of a fever blister on her lower lip, candidly revealing that she's only had them three times in her life. Cold sores are contagious, fluid-filled blisters that usually form on or around the lips and are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). In the caption of the post, Bec revealed her battle with the incurable condition, while also sharing the unlikely person she got them from. 'I've only ever had x3 cold sores in my life,' she began. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. '1. My first at 36yrs old. '2. The day this photo was taken when I had to shoot a LIPSTICK campaign for @theskincarecompany. '3. The day I recorded this @vainishpodcast episode where I tell the story about how my Mum gave me cold sore number 1,' she wrote. 'I'm still furious,' she added. In the third episode of Bec's recently released Vain-ish podcast, she revealed that she contracted cold sores from her mum, who had one on her lip in Whistler while she and her family were skiing. Despite Bec's mum assuring her she'd 'never given it to anyone', the Jaggad founder woke up the next day with a blister on her lip. Bec also admitted in the episode that her cold sores are triggered by long periods in the sun. The mum-of-four recently told Stellar magazine that she wants to be 'completely transparent' as she discusses beauty in her new podcast alongside best friend Jess Roberts. 'I'm 42, and I don't have a line on my face,' she confessed. 'I'm telling you it's not because I get eight hours' sleep a night, all right?' She went on to say that 2025 is the year we 'stop gaslighting' women by lying about the procedures we've had done. 'You get to a certain age where it's like, come on, let's be a bit more honest. This is the year where we stop bullsh***ing everyone and we fess up,' she added. Rebecca said 'everyone should be a little honest and have better conversations around beauty, aesthetics and wellness.'
Health Line
21-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Cold Sores
Cold sores are fluid-filled blisters that typically form on or near your lips. They usually clear up on their own within 10 days. Antiviral creams and medications can speed healing and relieve symptoms. A cold sore, sometimes referred to as a fever blister, typically starts with a tingling, itchy, or stinging feeling on or near your lips and mouth. Over the next 48 hours, one or more fluid-filled blisters will appear. Cold sores are contagious from the moment you first feel tingling to when they have completely healed. During this time, they can easily spread to other parts of your body and to other people through contact. To help keep cold sores from spreading: wash your hands with warm water and soap after touching your cold sore don't kiss anyone when you have a cold sore (especially babies) don't engage in oral sex until your cold sore is completely healed, as you can give your partner genital herpes Keep reading to learn more about cold sores, including their symptoms, appearance, causes, treatment, and prevention. What's the difference between a cold sore and a canker sore? Cold sores and canker sores both cause pain and discomfort, but that's where their similarities end. Canker sores are ulcers that form on the inside of the mouth, tongue, throat, and cheeks. They're usually flat lesions. They're not contagious and are not caused by the herpes simplex virus. Cold sores usually occur on the lips and outside the mouth. They're highly contagious. Cold sores are raised and have a 'bubbly' appearance.
The Independent
27-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Cold sore virus takes over human DNA within just one hour, study finds
The cold sore-causing Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) hijacks human cells and reconfigures its DNA within just an hour after infection, according to a new study that may help tackle the pathogen. Viruses are dependant on their hosts for replication, and upon infecting cells they tend to take over its cellular machinery to make new copies of themselves. Scientists have now found that the herpes virus not only hijacks its host's genome, but tends to reorganise the entire internal structure of the cells it infects within an hour after infection. Two out of every three people under the age of 50 live with HSV-1, and once infected, they have the virus for life. Although most cases are asymptomatic or manifest as mostly benign but recurrent cold sores, in rare cases the virus can cause blindness or life-threatening disease in newborns or those with compromised immunity. herpes infection and dementia in older adults. The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that HSV-1 reshapes the human genome's structure, making it compact and dense so that the virus can access host genes most useful for it to reproduce. This finding could lead to new treatments to control the virus, which infects nearly four billion people worldwide, researchers say. "HSV-1 is an opportunistic interior designer, reshaping the human genome with great precision and choosing which bits it comes into contact with. It's a novel mechanism of manipulation we didn't know the virus had to exploit host resources," said Esther González Almela, first author of the study. While previous studies have suggested that HSV infection leads to compacting and reshaping host chromosomes, it remained unclear whether it was a side effect of the cold sore virus infection or caused directly by the pathogen itself. The latest study is the first to prove that HSV-1 reshapes the human genome deliberately and within hours of infection. Researchers also found that blocking a single host cell enzyme – topoisomerase I – completely blocked the cold sore virus' crucial ability to rearrange the human genome. "In cell culture, inhibiting this enzyme stopped the infection before the virus could make a single new particle," said Pia Cosma, another author of the study. "That gives us a potential new therapeutic target to stop infection,' Dr Cosma said. In the study, scientists used super-resolution microscopy to peer into ultra small cell structures just 20 nanometres wide, which is around 3,500 times thinner than a strand of hair. They combined this with another technique that reveals which bits of DNA are touching inside the nucleus. These techniques showed that the herpes virus' hostile takeover begins within the first hour, with the virus hijacking a key human enzyme – RNA-polymerase II – to synthesise its own proteins. Just three hours after infection, the virus causes a sizeable fraction of molecules involved in human DNA replication to abandon the cell nucleus and enter viral replication compartments. The wholesale theft causes a collapse of any activity across the host genome, which then gets crushed into a dense shell just 30 per cent of its original volume. Scientists hope the latest findings can help address the global health challenge posed by HSV-1 due to its prevalence and ability to cause recurrent outbreaks.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Mother's heartbreaking warning to parents after son suffers brain damage caused by a common virus
A heartbroken mother has issued a stark warning to parents after her baby son was left brain damaged by the cold sore virus. Amanda Scanlon, 39, from Derry, is speaking out to raise awareness after her son Jed contracted the virus at just six months old—causing severe brain swelling. Now three, Jed has epilepsy and suffers from developmental delays due to damage caused by the herpes virus—which triggers cold sores. Before falling ill, Jed had been hitting all his milestones, even giving high-fives, Ms Scanlon told the Irish Mirror. Today, while he can walk and feed himself finger foods, he remains non-verbal and endures seizures every night. 'We are absolutely devastated,' Ms Scanlon said. 'I knew cold sores were dangerous, but I didn't realise they could leave a child with brain damage.' She said neither she nor her husband have ever suffered from cold sores, but added: 'We don't dwell on where he picked it up from—it won't achieve much. Babies could also get the virus from someone sneezing or coughing around them. You have to be really careful.' Jed's injuries are so severe that Ms Scanlon has now dedicated her life to raising awareness about the dangers of cold sores in babies. Through her TikTok account, @JedsJourney, she shares updates on her son's health and her experience parenting a child with complex needs. The account has already gained more than 2,000 followers. In one post, Ms Scanlon wrote: 'Jed was born so healthy and content, and for the first six months he was absolutely thriving—until he became unwell. He was diagnosed with viral encephalitis, a potentially fatal swelling of the brain, after the cold sore virus entered his spinal fluid and reached his brain.' One of her most popular posts is a timeline of events leading up to Jed's diagnosis—highlighting the early warning signs she now hopes other parents will learn from. In a series of photos, Ms Scanlon recalled how Jed developed a high temperature one Sunday evening, which she initially thought was just teething. By Tuesday, he was still unwell despite being given Calpol. A visit to the GP resulted in a prescription for antibiotics to treat an ear and throat infection. By Wednesday, Ms Scanlon noticed Jed had grey skin, was spiking high temperatures, and kept vomiting. An emergency GP appointment led to him being rushed to hospital. 'When we arrived they started taking bloods, heel pricks, put a catheter in and gave him strong IV antibiotics,' Ms Scanlon recalled. 'He lay there lifeless. 'Initial tests for sepsis and bacterial meningitis came back clear. But by Thursday, Jed had suffered three major seizures.' He was given a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, a medical procedure where a needle is inserted into the lower back to collect a sample of spinal fluid for testing. 'Forty-eight hours later we got the results, which showed viral encephalitis—and our beautiful baby boy was never the same,' Ms Scanlon said. The cause was the cold sore virus, officially known as herpes simplex virus (HSV-1)—which studies suggest is carried by between 50 and 80 per cent of the population. Most people are infected during childhood, and the virus then lies dormant in the body. It can reactivate later in life—typically during times of stress or illness—forming the familiar blister around the lips. While harmless for most adults, in newborns and babies the virus can be deadly, especially if it spreads to the brain. Amanda is now calling for greater awareness of how dangerous cold sores can be for infants—even through a kiss, a sneeze or a cough. However during this time patients are highly infectious. The herpes virus can be incredibly dangerous infants as their immune system is yet to fully develop. Parents are advised that the first four weeks of a baby's life are when they are most vulnerable to a serious herpes infection. Adults with cold sores should not kiss their baby and should also follow good hand hygiene while caring for the baby to reduce the chance of passing on the virus. The NHS warns that if a baby does contract herpes from a parent or other adult, it may not manifest as rash and instead the child may show signs such as being lethargic or irritable, not feeding, a high temperature. Parents are urged to act quickly if they notice this—as young children can deteriorate quickly. Parents should contact NHS 111 or their GP for advice. If the baby is floppy and unresponsive, difficult to wake up, has breathing difficulties, starts grunting or their tongue or skin turn blue they should call 999 immediately.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Study Links Herpes Virus To Alzheimer's Risk, But Experts Urge Caution
A new study published in the scientific journal BMJ Open has found that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores, is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. However, experts emphasize that the findings show correlation, not causation, and more research is needed. The study, conducted by researchers at Gilead Sciences Inc., analyzed health insurance data from 344,628 U.S. adults aged 50 and older diagnosed with Alzheimer's or related dementia between 2006 and 2021, each matched with a control of similar age, sex, and region without neurological disorders. Of those with Alzheimer's, 0.44% had a prior HSV-1 diagnosis, compared to 0.24% of controls, suggesting an 80% higher relative risk for Alzheimer's among those with HSV-1. The absolute numbers, however, remain small. Additionally, individuals treated with antiviral medication for HSV-1 showed a 17% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's compared to untreated counterparts. 'Despite the large sample size, this research has limitations partly due to only using health records and administrative claims data,' said Dr. Sheona Scales, Director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, in a statement to the Science Media Centre. 'Most people infected with HSV-1 don't have any symptoms, so some infections might not have been recorded.' Dr. David Vickers of the University of Calgary was more critical, stating, 'This pharma-funded research exaggerates the role of HSV-1, failing to appreciate its absence in 99.56 percent of [Alzheimer's disease] cases.' The World Health Organization estimates two-thirds of people under 50 globally carry HSV-1, a neurotropic virus that can infect nerve cells and often lies dormant after initial infection, sometimes reactivating to cause cold sores. Previous studies have detected HSV-1 DNA in postmortem Alzheimer's brains and shown it can trigger amyloid-beta plaque accumulation, a hallmark of the disease, in lab settings. A 2024 Journal of Virology study found HSV-1 can enter mouse brains, causing persistent inflammation, noting evidence for its role in Alzheimer's as 'overwhelming.' 'We're not saying viruses explain everything. But they may be central to it. This is no longer a fringe theory – it's the next phase of Alzheimer's research, and we're pursuing it,' Dr. Bryce Vissel of St. Vincent's Hospital Sydney told the Australian Science Media Centre. However, Professor Tara Spires-Jones of the University of Edinburgh cautioned, 'It is important to note that HSV-1 infection, which is extremely common in the population, is by no means a guarantee that someone will develop Alzheimer's.' The study's reliance on insurance data raises concerns, as HSV-1 is often underdiagnosed, potentially skewing results. It also lacks data on infection frequency or severity, which could influence risk. 'The study's data source makes its findings ungeneralisable, and it overstates a minor infection as a 'public health priority' to justify unnecessary treatment,' Vickers added. Other factors, like genetics, lifestyle, or healthcare access, may also contribute to Alzheimer's risk among HSV-1 carriers. Some experts see potential in antiviral treatments. 'With many GPs and the population being unaware of the dementia related benefits of treating HSV infections and preventing VZV activation through vaccination, it is time to call for actions informing those working in primary care as well as the population at large,' said Professor Cornelia van Duijn of the University of Oxford. Dr. Richard Oakley of Alzheimer's Society advised, 'If you are worried about a cold sore or your general health, be sure to seek the appropriate help from a health professional.' 'More research is needed to understand the best way to protect our brains from Alzheimer's disease as we age,' Spires-Jones said. For now, experts recommend focusing on proven brain health strategies like exercise, sleep, and a balanced diet.
