Don’t ask Deborah Sudduth about cold sores - she’s suffered from them, off and on, for the last 10 years.
Two months ago, Sudduth, an executive assistant to the dean in the College of Nursing, participated in a MSU study that cured her cold sores in less than two days.
“I’ve never had an experience like that before,” Sudduth said. “I could feel the cold sore starting on Sunday. I called (the research clinic), took the pills they gave me and the cold sore was gone by Tuesday.
“The medicine just squashed it.”
The treatment Sudduth was given is part of a study conducted by Sharon Schooley, a senior research associate, and Judy McMillan, a research technician.
“Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus I,” Schooley said. “And they are basically transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.”
When a person becomes infected, the virus goes into the facial nerve cells and becomes dormant. It stays suppressed there until some exterior or interior factor releases it, she said.
“The virus can be released by a number of things such as stress, ultra violet rays from the sun, menstruation or lip trauma,” Schooley said.
“Once the virus is released, it multiplies in the facial cell until the cell bursts open. The damage from the broken cell then forms the cold sore.”
Cold sores occur in stages, the first of which begins with an itchy, hot, tingling or painful sensation. At stage two, redness begins to appear on the affected area. During the next stage, the sore begins to swell. Then the sore fills with fluid before the final stage, when the sore scabs over. It is considered healed when the scab falls off on its own, McMillan said.
“The drug stops the multiplication cycle of the virus,” Schooley said. “That’s why the medication needs to be taken at the first signs of the original stage, because it stops the virus from creating cell damage.
“The key to eradicating cold sores is immediate treatment.”
The study is focused on testing the drug Valtrex for the purpose of treating cold sores. Valtrex has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent the sexually transmitted disease herpes simplex II.
“We are conducting this study to test the effectiveness of Valtrex because it is not approved for this use or dosage,” McMillan said. “In order to get FDA approval we have to prove that it is both safe and effective.”
Schooley and McMillan are screening applicants for another study and are looking for 40 more students or faculty members who suffer from cold sores to participate.
Funding for the research is provided by Glaxo Wellcome Inc., the creators of Valtrex.
For more information on the study contact 432-3408.
