13. Which characteristic of herpesviruses best explains why people experience recurring outbreaks of mouth or genital blisters throughout their lives?
(A) Frequent reinfection occurs from exposure to different but closely related strains of the virus.
(B) The virus remains active in the bloodstream, with symptoms appearing only when the viral load exceeds a specific threshold.
(C) The viral genome is permanently maintained in a latent state within host cell nuclei and periodically reactivates.
(D) Intact virus particles persist in the interstitial fluid, evading immune detection until favorable environmental conditions allow them to infect new cells.
(E) The virus integrates its DNA into the host's germ cells, causing the infection to renew every time the host cells divide.