Cut it Out

Look into this human eye and you’ll see the lightning-like green scar of damage caused by herpes keratitis, a viral disease triggered by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1). More commonly known as the cause of cold sores – painful blisters on the lips – HSV1 can sometimes infect the surface of the eyeball (called the cornea), eventually working its way into the nerves behind. Many people are infected with HSV1, but don’t show any symptoms. This is because the virus’ DNA has hopped into their own human DNA, lying low until something triggers it to become reactivated. Other herpes-like viruses, including the cancer-causing Epstein-Barr Virus, work in the same way. Scientists have managed to use CRISPR – a targeted and precise type of ‘molecular scissors’ – to find and snip out dormant viral DNA from human cells, completely wiping out the infection and paving the way for entirely new anti-virus therapies in the future.

Written by Kat Arney

Kat Arney

Writer

Dr Kat Arney is an award-winning science writer, broadcaster and public speaker, and is the founder and Creative Director of First Create The Media.

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• Image by Hilda Schenk, University Medical Center Utrecht
• Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• Image copyright held by the photographer
• Research published in PLOS Pathogens, June 2016