Virology: A Vaccine for Cold Sores

To most of its victims, the cold sore that breaks out on the lips is an annoying, repetitive sign of a not too serious infection. But unlike its more benign viral cousins that cause the common cold, the herpes simplex virus that produces cold sores or fever blisters can in rare instances cause blindness, if it spreads to the eye, and death, if it reaches the brain. For years medical researchers have unsuccessfully attempted to concoct a herpes vaccine that would provide immunity.

Last week the British Medical Jour nal finally noted some encouraging news for cold-sore sufferers; in Paris, a team of Pasteur Institute virologists, led by Dr. Pierre Lépine, has developed a vaccine that shows definite promise. They grew herpes simplex virus in cultures of kidney cells taken from sheep embryos; then the live virus was inactivated by exposure to ultraviolet light. As part of the testing program, the vaccine was injected into 20 patients who suffered from recurrent cold sores. After one year, eleven of the patients have had no recurrence of their herpes simplex eruptions, seven patients have shown marked improvement, and only two have failed to benefit from the vaccine.