Name: 皰疹的成因與治療方法是什麼？- Christine Johnston (What causes herpes, and how can you treat it? - Christine Johnston)
Uploaded: 2026-02-02T03:16:20.000Z
Duration: 5 min 57 s

In the 1st century CE, Roman Emperor Tiberius made an unprecedented decision banning kissing at all public events.

公元一世紀時，羅馬皇帝提比略做出了一項前所未有的決定，禁止在所有公共場合接吻。

關係子句

This move was aimed at thwarting a puzzling outbreak, which many historians believe was an epidemic of oral herpes.

此舉旨在遏止一場令人費解的疫情，許多歷史學家認為這就是口脣皰疹的流行。

Fast forward to today and more than half the population is infected with herpes simplex virus, though as many as 90% of those infected don't actually know they have it.

時至今日，超過一半的人口感染了單純皰疹病毒，但高達九成的感染者其實並不知道自己有感染。

The term herpes virus refers to a whole family of viruses, but

皰疹病毒這個詞指的是一整個病毒家族，但

what we typically call the condition of herpes is caused by two viruses in particular herpes simplex 1 and 2, or HSV1 and HSV2.

我們通常說的皰疹狀況，是由兩種病毒特別引起，也就是單純皰疹病毒第一型和第二型，或稱 HSV1 和 HSV2。

While similar, they tend to infect different parts of the body.

雖然相似，但它們傾向感染身體的不同部位。

HSV1 is typically associated with oral herpes, which causes cold sores on the mouth.

HSV1 通常與口脣皰疹有關，這會在嘴巴引起脣瘡。

Genital herpes can be caused by either virus, though it's more often caused by HSV2.

生殖器皰疹可能由這兩種病毒引起，但 HSV2 引起的比例較高。

Other body parts, such as fingers and eyes, can also be infected by either virus.

身體的其他部位，像是手指和眼睛，也可能被這兩種病毒感染。

Regardless of location or type, HSV enters the body through microscopic breaks in the skin or mucous membranes like the mouth and genitals.

無論位置或類型，HSV 都是透過皮膚或黏膜（如口腔和生殖器）的微小破損進入體內。

Once inside, viral proteins hijack the cellular machinery to replicate and spread.

進到體內後，病毒蛋白會劫持細胞機制來進行複製和擴散。

For many people, this initial infection won't result in any symptoms, but

對許多人來說，這次的初次感染並不會出現任何症狀，但

for others, the virus causes enough damage that fluid filled blisters develop and rupture, causing pink, painful lesions.

對其他人來說，病毒會造成足夠的損傷，導致充滿液體的潰瘍破裂，形成粉紅色、疼痛的病灶。

With more severe initial infections, the virus can enter the bloodstream and lead to fevers, muscle aches and headaches.

如果初次感染更嚴重，病毒可能會進入血液，導致發燒、肌肉痠痛和頭痛。

This viral onslaught alerts the immune system, which gets to work attempting to eliminate the HSV virus, just as it would when faced with other common viral pathogens.

這種病毒的攻擊會警示免疫系統，免疫系統會開始努力清除 HSV 病毒，就像面對其他常見的病毒病原體一樣。

But what makes HSV particularly difficult to clear is that some virus hides itself away, evading detection by the immune system.

但 HSV 特別難清除的原因是，有些病毒會躲藏起來，逃避免疫系統的偵測。

You see, in addition to penetrating skin and mucosal cells, HSV also infiltrates nearby nerve cells in the skin.

你知道嗎，除了穿透皮膚和黏膜細胞，HSV 也會滲透到皮膚附近的神經細胞。

They then travel along the stretch of axons until they reach nerve clusters called ganglia.

然後牠們沿著軸突移動，直到抵達稱為神經節的神經叢。

HSV1 thrives in the trigeminal ganglia located in the skull, and

HSV1 會在位於頭骨中的三叉神經節中活躍，而

HSV2 prefers the sacral ganglia near the base of the spinal cord.

HSV2 則偏好脊髓底部的薦神經節。

Here the virus goes dormant, turning off its replication machinery, which helps it avoid attacks from the immune system.

在這裡，病毒會進入休眠狀態，關閉其複製機制，這有助於它躲避免疫系統的攻擊。

It doesn't cause any damage or disease symptoms, but it doesn't disappear either.

你知道嗎，牠們不會造成任何損害或疾病症狀，但也不會消失。

While living in the ganglia, the virus can reawaken periodically, often triggered by sickness or stress, though the cause isn't always clear.

在神經節中，病毒會週期性地重新活躍，通常由疾病或壓力引發，但原因並不總是清楚。

No matter the reason, the virus travels back down along the nerve, which may cause itching or tingling, often the first symptom of recurrence.

無論是什麼原因，病毒會沿著神經回到表面，可能會引起搔癢或刺痛，這通常是復發的第一個症狀。

Once back at the surface the virus begins to replicate, potentially causing a new bout of symptoms.

一旦回到表面，病毒就會開始複製，可能會引起新一輪的症狀。

The frequency of these recurrences can vary and happen as often as monthly or as infrequently as every few years.

這些復發的頻率差異很大，可能每個月發生一次，也可能幾年才發生一次。

And when the infection is active and shedding from the skin or mucosa, it's possible to spread to others via direct contact.

當感染活躍並從皮膚或黏膜脫落時，有可能透過直接接觸傳染給他人。

Yet since most infections are asymptomatic or only cause mild flare ups, many people don't know they have hsv and herpes is surprisingly difficult to diagnose.

然而，由於大多數感染是無症狀的，或只引起輕微的復發，許多人不知道自己感染了 HSV，皰疹也是以非常難診斷。

Blood tests aren't normally recommended as they're often inaccurate and can't reliably distinguish between a genital or oral HSV1 infection.

通常不建議進行血液檢查，因為它們經常不準確，也無法可靠地區分是生殖器或口脣的 HSV1 感染。

If you do have symptoms, the best way to get a clear diagnosis is to see a healthcare provider when a lesion is present.

如果你確實出現症狀，在有病灶時就醫，是獲得明確診斷的最佳方式。

Aside from the pain caused by sores during a flare up, for most people, herpes doesn't lead to serious health problems and there are treatments to improve symptoms.

除了復發時的潰瘍疼痛，對大多數人來說，皰疹並不會導致嚴重的健康問題，而且有藥物可以改善症狀。

Antiviral medications work by mimicking a component of viral DNA and inhibiting viral replication.

抗病毒藥物的作用方式是模擬病毒 DNA 的組成部分，並抑制病毒複製。

These medications can also reduce the risk of transmission in the case of HSV2 by about 50%.

這些藥物也能將 HSV2 的傳播風險降低約 50%。

Over time, symptoms and shedding usually decline as the body produces immunity against the virus, though, there is always some risk of flare ups and and transmission.

隨著時間過去，身體會產生對抗病毒的免疫力，症狀和病毒脫落通常會減少，但復發和傳播的風險始終存在。

That's why for decades scientists have searched for treatments that can prevent or cure herpes.

這就是為什麼數十年來科學家一直在尋找能預防或治癒皰疹的療法。

But the virus unique ability to establish silent infections and evade the immune system has made progress difficult.

但病毒獨特的能力，能夠建立無症狀感染並躲避免疫系統，使得進展困難重重。

Breakthroughs in emerging technologies like gene editing and novel vaccines show promise in the fight against this stealthy virus.

基因編輯和新型疫苗等新興技術的突破，在對抗這種隱匿性病毒的戰鬥中展現了潛力。

Do you ever feel like you don't know enough about your own body?

你是否曾經覺得對自己的身體瞭解不夠？

Subscribe to this channel to learn about everything from baldness to muscle growth to why we have hair in such random places.

訂閱這個頻道，一起學習從禿頭、肌肉生長，到為什麼我們身上會有這麼多隨機的毛髮。