The Nation - News from Nov. 18, 1986

The common herpes virus that causes fever blisters and cold sores may also play a role in the development of heart disease, a researcher reported. Herpes simplex appears to induce the accumulation of cholesterol in human cells, which leads to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, David Hajjar of Cornell University Medical College in New York, told the American Heart Assn.’s annual meeting in Dallas. It remains unclear whether the herpes virus plays a major or minor role in the process, however.