Question:
If herpes is going from the spine (where it is free of our immune system) to the genital area (where our immune system tries to attack it), then is there a way to get the virus out of the body?

In the army, while I was in puerto rico kids would get bit by poisonous snakes and the only way to get the poison out was to lay leeches over the bite and let the leeches suck the poison out. I know it's gross but it's better than losing a leg or arm or dying.

So what if a person did everything there was to get the virus to the surface...and try to bleed it out. Like say lay nude in the sun for hours each day while fasting on nothing but green leafy food. Hell I wonder if the leeches thing would work....should I order some and try it?

Has anyone ever heard of anyone really trying to find a way to kill it, cure it, or free it? Have any serious attempts been made?

Answer:
I like your enthusiasm for finding a real solution to this virus...im in the same boat as you...There is only 1 company that I know that is looking specifically at a CURE (as in virus out of the body)...but their first step, as with a few other companies out there, is to supress the virus (as in no outbreaks or viral shedding, but the virus would still be present in the body), which I think would be just as good as a cure if we werent contagious....the first company is called Cytogenix (www.cytogenix.com). Their approach is based on gene silencing...they have come up with a topically applied cream for skin cells which prevents a certain gene from being produced, thus HSV cant replicate in skin cells...that is their initial idea, which wont cure the virus (because it goes dormant in nerve cells), but if it can stop Herpes from reaching the skins surface, then that would protect partners from catching it, as herpes is spread through skin to skin contact...Cytogenix has also identified the gene that allows herpes to hide from the immune system...they hope to eventually target that gene (while the virus is still in dormancy)...if they can do that, then the hope is that the virus will be eliminated from the body entirely....but that is MANY years away...their first product should be entering human trials very soon and might be available in 3-5 years....The other approach that researchers are taking is therapeutic vaccines...a series of injections that would stimulate the immune system to keep the virus in check...stop it before it causes probelms for those already infected...to my knowledge there are 5 companies that are either in clinical trials or very close to clinical trials for vaccines...the closest to release would be AuRx (www.aurx.com), they are ready to do Phase 3 trials (the last step before release) if they can get the $$ together...they are a small company and have been struggling for $ since day 1, but have had some great results with testing so far....the other companies are Antigenics, who has 2 vaccines already in early trials....PowderMed, who is about to start Phase 1....the other 2 companies, Alphavax and Cel Sci, are at some point in either testing or late development...Best case scenario is Aurx, who might be able to release their treatment in the next 1-2 years if they get the $$ to get going....if not, we should see something in the next 3-5 years.......