For example there are viral infections (actual viruses) that infect us humans and usually if left alone either go away with enough time, or we can take anti virals to help our immune system along.
Hell even in warts which are caused by the HPV virus, if left untreated can go away in as little as 2-5 years without any sort of treatment, so what makes herpes or any virus that never does away, different from the other viruses that can go away?
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The exact mechanism by which some viruses stay permanent are not precisely understood. They alter and modify host cells (us) to basically take residence and stay permanently. Then every so often, they flair up and attack again. Shingles, for instance, is caused by the chickenpox virus. Someone will have chickenpox, get over it, but some of the virus will still live and remain dormant for decades in nerve cells. Then, it reactivates and harms again.
Our body stops actively recognizing the virus as a threat while it is dormant. It’s important to remember that viruses aren’t attacking us to kill us. They want to live and keep spreading, and if the host dies, they die. If the host’s immune system eradicates them, they die. It’s in their best interest to try to stay here permanently, without attacking us, and without being attacked by our immune system. so some have evolved to be able to do that.
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