Most of the time HSV is inactive staying in a nerve root at the
base of the spine where it does no harm. In the active phase, it
travels along the nerve to the skin where it causes irritation,
bumps, blisters or sores which then shed virus out to the
environment and to other people. A major precipitating factors
for an outbreak is depression accompanied by stress. The Centre
for Disease Control reports that the incidence of Herpes has
risen in the last ten years from 16% to 21%. This means that one
in five are infective and have active symptoms. Like many other
viruses, the herpes virus has the ability to conceal itself
inside the body's cells and to take over the cell's ability to
replicate itself. The cell then replicates new virus. Drugs like
Acyclovir act at the cellular level, prevent it from replicating
and don't actually kill the herpes virus. As such they are not a
"cure" but do provide considerable help in managing aspects of
the disease such as passing it on and relief from symptoms. A
related virus