Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective
Understanding the contribution of human herpesviruses to the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases is an emerging field of interest. The association of Epstein–Barr virus with multiple sclerosis is the most researched example; however, the definitive proof of causation is still lacking. Alzheimer’...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Vaccines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/6/572 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849418116764794880 |
|---|---|
| author | Peter A. C. Maple Akram A. Hosseini |
| author_facet | Peter A. C. Maple Akram A. Hosseini |
| author_sort | Peter A. C. Maple |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the contribution of human herpesviruses to the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases is an emerging field of interest. The association of Epstein–Barr virus with multiple sclerosis is the most researched example; however, the definitive proof of causation is still lacking. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and typically manifests in individuals aged over 65 years; however, it also occurs in a small number of individuals aged less than 65 years. A combination of environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors is believed to contribute to the development of AD. There have been several reports describing potential associations of infections or reactivations of human alphaherpesviruses with AD. A particular characteristic of human alphaherpesviruses (herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus) is that they are neurotropic and that lifelong infection (latency) is established mainly in the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia. There have also been reports that suppression of alphaherpesvirus infections through either vaccination or the application of antiviral treatments may be protective against the development of AD. Zoster vaccines and acyclovir may prove to be effective interventions for preventing or limiting the progression of AD. This is particularly relevant as there are currently no available cheap and effective treatments for AD. In this review, the basic virology of human alphaherpesviruses is described followed by their epidemiology and associations with AD. Finally, the prevention and treatment of human alphaherpesviruses are considered in the context of potential applications for the prevention of AD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-27b605e1d32b4576bfdb140f9883fe34 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj-art-27b605e1d32b4576bfdb140f9883fe342025-08-20T03:32:32ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2025-05-0113657210.3390/vaccines13060572Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological PerspectivePeter A. C. Maple0Akram A. Hosseini1Mental Health and Clinical Neuroscience Academic Unit, University of Nottingham School of Medicine, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UKMental Health and Clinical Neuroscience Academic Unit, University of Nottingham School of Medicine, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UKUnderstanding the contribution of human herpesviruses to the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases is an emerging field of interest. The association of Epstein–Barr virus with multiple sclerosis is the most researched example; however, the definitive proof of causation is still lacking. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and typically manifests in individuals aged over 65 years; however, it also occurs in a small number of individuals aged less than 65 years. A combination of environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors is believed to contribute to the development of AD. There have been several reports describing potential associations of infections or reactivations of human alphaherpesviruses with AD. A particular characteristic of human alphaherpesviruses (herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus) is that they are neurotropic and that lifelong infection (latency) is established mainly in the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia. There have also been reports that suppression of alphaherpesvirus infections through either vaccination or the application of antiviral treatments may be protective against the development of AD. Zoster vaccines and acyclovir may prove to be effective interventions for preventing or limiting the progression of AD. This is particularly relevant as there are currently no available cheap and effective treatments for AD. In this review, the basic virology of human alphaherpesviruses is described followed by their epidemiology and associations with AD. Finally, the prevention and treatment of human alphaherpesviruses are considered in the context of potential applications for the prevention of AD.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/6/572Alzheimer’s diseasehuman alphaherpesvirusesherpes simplex virusesvaricella zoster virus |
| spellingShingle | Peter A. C. Maple Akram A. Hosseini Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective Vaccines Alzheimer’s disease human alphaherpesviruses herpes simplex viruses varicella zoster virus |
| title | Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective |
| title_full | Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective |
| title_short | Human Alpha Herpesviruses Infections (HSV1, HSV2, and VZV), Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Potential Benefits of Targeted Treatment or Vaccination—A Virological Perspective |
| title_sort | human alpha herpesviruses infections hsv1 hsv2 and vzv alzheimer s disease and the potential benefits of targeted treatment or vaccination a virological perspective |
| topic | Alzheimer’s disease human alphaherpesviruses herpes simplex viruses varicella zoster virus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/6/572 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT peteracmaple humanalphaherpesvirusesinfectionshsv1hsv2andvzvalzheimersdiseaseandthepotentialbenefitsoftargetedtreatmentorvaccinationavirologicalperspective AT akramahosseini humanalphaherpesvirusesinfectionshsv1hsv2andvzvalzheimersdiseaseandthepotentialbenefitsoftargetedtreatmentorvaccinationavirologicalperspective |