7 ms·

Two-thirds of the world's population under 50 have herpes

38 points by Futurebot 11y ago

fredfoobar42 11y ago
Herpes Simplex. If you get cold sores, you have Herpes Simplex. It's not the STD version.
- graeme 11y ago
  Sort of. Oral HSV-1 can spread to genitals during oral sex. The article notes this is becoming more common. As for HSV-2: -More than 80% of people with herpes are undiagnosed -Overall prevalence by the time people reach their forties is 26%. -In the general population, one-fifth of women and 11.5% of men are infected. http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2011/04/latest-genital-herpes http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2011/04/latest-genital-herpes
- kijin 11y ago
  The CDC considers Herpes Simplex to be an STD if it involves the genitals [1]. According to the article, both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause genital herpes. [1] http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/default.htm http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/default.htm
- dansky 11y ago
  You are right. HSV-2 is the infection mostly occurring in the genital area. However, HSV-1 (cold sores) can also transmit to the genital area for example via oral sex, even though such HSV-1 infection there is less likely than with HSV-2. Addition: while oral sex often goes unprotected (HSV-1), HSV-2 transmits also with condoms during sexual penetration. Skin-on-skin contact in unprotected areas is enough for the virus to transmit. However, because of the motion and friction condoms protect women better than men.[1] [1] http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2721301b.html http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2721301b.html
- cdcarter 11y ago
  There are two common strains of the herpes simplex virus, called HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both can cause genital sores, and both can be transmitted sexually. Here are some facts: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs400/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs400/en/
pravda 11y ago
If you get the cold sores, get the Abreva®. That magical balm knocks 'em out like Tyson deckin' your grandmother. Can anyone explain this: "That is because improved hygiene in rich countries is lowering HSV-1 infection rates in childhood, leaving young people more at risk of catching it via oral sex when they become sexually active."
- leephillips 11y ago
  I read that several times. It still makes no sense to me.
  - chickumpox 11y ago
    So, in poor countries all children are infected, which means as they age there's no risk to them as teenagers, because there's nothing risky about already having it and messing around with someone else that already has it. Welcome to the wonderful world of spin doctoring.
  - stephengillie 11y ago
    To restate in different words: "In developing countries, kids will get herpes from playing in the mud or other things. In the developed world, we incubate kids in sterile bedrooms, so their first exposure to this pathogen is during sexual activity." This seems very elitist to me - having grown up in a first world country, where I played in the mud and hit things with sticks.
    - jdpage 11y ago
      Small children can also get HSV-1 from things like being kissed by an older relative with an active cold sore. That kind of thing probably happens less in developed countries due to higher awareness. [citation needed]
- foota 11y ago
  I'm just making this up, but it seems possible that having oral herpes confers some resistance to getting genital herpes?
swang 11y ago
I can never tell how worried I should be about HSV-1. If it's in the mouth it's relatively normal but if it spreads to the genitals, that's bad?
- proksoup 11y ago
  Yup. And don't lick someone's genitals if you have it in your mouth. And before you let someone lick your genitals, ask them if they have it.
  - cordite 11y ago
    How does one diagnose whether they have it orally?
    - roel_v 11y ago
      AFAIK the highest risk of transmission is when there is an outbreak, so you can fairly easily see it.
      - roel_v 11y ago
        Look, I don't care about the karma, but does this downvote mean that HPV-1 is equally transmissible during an outbreak as in latent phases? Because if so, those 2/3rds of the world's population would all need to cut out oral sex from their lives.
        cdcarter 11y ago
        First, HSV, not HPV. Second, you're being downvoted because oral outbreaks can be very mild and may just look like acne, or a razor burn, or any number of other normal dermatological conditions. "Just looking for it" is perhaps the worst way to possibly think about any STD.
        jdpage 11y ago
        Presumably a dental dam would prevent transmission of HSV-1 during oral sex.
throwawayt1me 11y ago
(This is being heavily downvoted, I'll try to edit but may end up deleting.) So I don't have herpes (EDIT: SIMPLEX, what nearly everyone has), and I realize it's not a big deal whether I do or don't. I do know I'm in a minority of adults who are in situations to regularly hook up with strangers, people who don't happen to have Herpes, and it's probably due to the fact that I don't actually do so; I'm very picky and basically don't hook up with strangers, just people I happen to know already or be introduced to, OR hitting it off in very rare cases, by really sharing something personal. In the past this included colleagues! (not very serious work.) What I mean is that if I hooked up wtih strangers even a few times - let's say 10 times in 4 years - then I'd probably have it by now. My reasoning is that given like 80% infection rate, pretty much if I'm going to hook up with people who experience even the tiniest element of network effect, then I'd expect to get it fairly soon. so far my strategy is just to hold out until I meet the right person, who is similar to myself and has had just a few sexual partners and longer relationships. I was married previously, for example, for several years. (I'm in my very early 30s.) But I do feel like I might be missing out. What do you guys suggest I do for more casual dating, other than starting from the pool of people I happen to know or coincidentally run into, or meet at parties or clubs but really, really share something with; rather than the pool of strangers ready to hook up? Given that nearly everyone has it, I'm just not ready for it. By the way I'll go ahead and get it from someone if they're interesting enough to be in a long-term relationship with; big deal, luck of the draw. But if I don't have such a specific person in mind, I'd rather apply that filter first . . . (or my version). maybe there should be a dating site for people who happen not to have it! we're certainly a minority.
- rohansingh 11y ago
  This article is about the HSV-1 virus that causes cold sores, not genital herpes. It has nothing to do with being "attractive" or "interesting".
  - throwawayt1me 11y ago
    I'm talking about cold sores! Also, I didn't realize that was what was causing the downvotes. What I mean is that it's easy for me to hook up with strangers, and if someone is attractive and interesting I'd assume it's easy for them to hook up with strangers as well; so the only question is whether they want to. (or I want to.) The reason I mentioned that is that I thought the main vector was open-mouthed kissing.
nommm-nommm 11y ago
Herpes is said by some to be an early example of "disease mongering" to sell medication. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex#Society_and_culture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex#Society_and_cul... Herpes simplex was not always stigmatised. It was merely a cold sore in an unusual place until the 1970s. As late as 1975, a study of "Psychological morbidity in a clinic for sexually transmitted disease" does not mention herpes simplex because at that time, no significant morbidity problem (i.e. mental anxiety or illness) was associated with the virus.[98] Pedro Cuatrecasas states, "during the R&D of acyclovir (Zovirax), marketing [department of Burroughs Wellcome] insisted that there were 'no markets' for this compound. Most had hardly heard of genital herpes..." Thus, marketing the medical condition – separating the 'normal cold sore' from the 'stigmatized genital infection' was to become the key to marketing the drug, a process now known as 'disease mongering'.[99][100] Since the creation of the herpes hype, some people experience negative feelings related to the condition following diagnosis, in particular if they have acquired the genital form of the disease. Feelings can include depression, fear of rejection, feelings of isolation, fear of being found out, and self-destructive feelings.[101] These feelings usually lessen over time. Much of the hysteria and stigma surrounding herpes stems from a media campaign beginning in the late 1970s and peaking in the early 1980s. Multiple articles were worded in fear-mongering and anxiety-provoking terminology, such as the now-ubiquitous "attacks", "outbreaks", "victims", and "sufferers". At one point, the term "herpetic" even entered the popular lexicon. The articles were published by Reader's Digest, U.S. News, and Time magazine, among others. A made-for-TV movie was named Intimate Agony. The peak was when Time magazine had 'Herpes: The New Scarlet Letter' on the cover in August 1982, forever stigmatizing the word in the public mind.[81] Herpes support groups have been formed in the United States and the UK, providing information about herpes and running message forums and dating websites for sufferers. People with the herpes virus are often hesitant to divulge to other people, including friends and family, that they are infected. This is especially true of new or potential sexual partners whom they consider casual.[102]
techaddict009 11y ago
My fiance has it, should I worry about it? Is there any proper cure? I dnt want that me or our future baby gets it.
oxplot 11y ago
The source of this news article: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/herpes/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/herpes/en/

38 points by Futurebot 11y ago

fredfoobar42 11y ago

Herpes Simplex. If you get cold sores, you have Herpes Simplex. It's not the STD version.

graeme 11y ago
Sort of. Oral HSV-1 can spread to genitals during oral sex. The article notes this is becoming more common. As for HSV-2: -More than 80% of people with herpes are undiagnosed -Overall prevalence by the time people reach their forties is 26%. -In the general population, one-fifth of women and 11.5% of men are infected. http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2011/04/latest-genital-herpes http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2011/04/latest-genital-herpes
kijin 11y ago
The CDC considers Herpes Simplex to be an STD if it involves the genitals [1]. According to the article, both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause genital herpes. [1] http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/default.htm http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/default.htm
dansky 11y ago
You are right. HSV-2 is the infection mostly occurring in the genital area. However, HSV-1 (cold sores) can also transmit to the genital area for example via oral sex, even though such HSV-1 infection there is less likely than with HSV-2. Addition: while oral sex often goes unprotected (HSV-1), HSV-2 transmits also with condoms during sexual penetration. Skin-on-skin contact in unprotected areas is enough for the virus to transmit. However, because of the motion and friction condoms protect women better than men.[1] [1] http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2721301b.html http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2721301b.html
cdcarter 11y ago
There are two common strains of the herpes simplex virus, called HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both can cause genital sores, and both can be transmitted sexually. Here are some facts: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs400/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs400/en/

pravda 11y ago

If you get the cold sores, get the Abreva®. That magical balm knocks 'em out like Tyson deckin' your grandmother. Can anyone explain this: "That is because improved hygiene in rich countries is lowering HSV-1 infection rates in childhood, leaving young people more at risk of catching it via oral sex when they become sexually active."

leephillips 11y ago
I read that several times. It still makes no sense to me.
- chickumpox 11y ago
  So, in poor countries all children are infected, which means as they age there's no risk to them as teenagers, because there's nothing risky about already having it and messing around with someone else that already has it. Welcome to the wonderful world of spin doctoring.
- stephengillie 11y ago
  To restate in different words: "In developing countries, kids will get herpes from playing in the mud or other things. In the developed world, we incubate kids in sterile bedrooms, so their first exposure to this pathogen is during sexual activity." This seems very elitist to me - having grown up in a first world country, where I played in the mud and hit things with sticks.
  - jdpage 11y ago
    Small children can also get HSV-1 from things like being kissed by an older relative with an active cold sore. That kind of thing probably happens less in developed countries due to higher awareness. [citation needed]
foota 11y ago
I'm just making this up, but it seems possible that having oral herpes confers some resistance to getting genital herpes?

swang 11y ago

I can never tell how worried I should be about HSV-1. If it's in the mouth it's relatively normal but if it spreads to the genitals, that's bad?

proksoup 11y ago
Yup. And don't lick someone's genitals if you have it in your mouth. And before you let someone lick your genitals, ask them if they have it.
- cordite 11y ago
  How does one diagnose whether they have it orally?
  - roel_v 11y ago
    AFAIK the highest risk of transmission is when there is an outbreak, so you can fairly easily see it.
    - roel_v 11y ago
      Look, I don't care about the karma, but does this downvote mean that HPV-1 is equally transmissible during an outbreak as in latent phases? Because if so, those 2/3rds of the world's population would all need to cut out oral sex from their lives.
      - cdcarter 11y ago
        First, HSV, not HPV. Second, you're being downvoted because oral outbreaks can be very mild and may just look like acne, or a razor burn, or any number of other normal dermatological conditions. "Just looking for it" is perhaps the worst way to possibly think about any STD.
      - jdpage 11y ago
        Presumably a dental dam would prevent transmission of HSV-1 during oral sex.

throwawayt1me 11y ago

(This is being heavily downvoted, I'll try to edit but may end up deleting.) So I don't have herpes (EDIT: SIMPLEX, what nearly everyone has), and I realize it's not a big deal whether I do or don't. I do know I'm in a minority of adults who are in situations to regularly hook up with strangers, people who don't happen to have Herpes, and it's probably due to the fact that I don't actually do so; I'm very picky and basically don't hook up with strangers, just people I happen to know already or be introduced to, OR hitting it off in very rare cases, by really sharing something personal. In the past this included colleagues! (not very serious work.) What I mean is that if I hooked up wtih strangers even a few times - let's say 10 times in 4 years - then I'd probably have it by now. My reasoning is that given like 80% infection rate, pretty much if I'm going to hook up with people who experience even the tiniest element of network effect, then I'd expect to get it fairly soon. so far my strategy is just to hold out until I meet the right person, who is similar to myself and has had just a few sexual partners and longer relationships. I was married previously, for example, for several years. (I'm in my very early 30s.) But I do feel like I might be missing out. What do you guys suggest I do for more casual dating, other than starting from the pool of people I happen to know or coincidentally run into, or meet at parties or clubs but really, really share something with; rather than the pool of strangers ready to hook up? Given that nearly everyone has it, I'm just not ready for it. By the way I'll go ahead and get it from someone if they're interesting enough to be in a long-term relationship with; big deal, luck of the draw. But if I don't have such a specific person in mind, I'd rather apply that filter first . . . (or my version). maybe there should be a dating site for people who happen not to have it! we're certainly a minority.

rohansingh 11y ago
This article is about the HSV-1 virus that causes cold sores, not genital herpes. It has nothing to do with being "attractive" or "interesting".
- throwawayt1me 11y ago
  I'm talking about cold sores! Also, I didn't realize that was what was causing the downvotes. What I mean is that it's easy for me to hook up with strangers, and if someone is attractive and interesting I'd assume it's easy for them to hook up with strangers as well; so the only question is whether they want to. (or I want to.) The reason I mentioned that is that I thought the main vector was open-mouthed kissing.

nommm-nommm 11y ago

Herpes is said by some to be an early example of "disease mongering" to sell medication. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex#Society_and_culture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex#Society_and_cul... Herpes simplex was not always stigmatised. It was merely a cold sore in an unusual place until the 1970s. As late as 1975, a study of "Psychological morbidity in a clinic for sexually transmitted disease" does not mention herpes simplex because at that time, no significant morbidity problem (i.e. mental anxiety or illness) was associated with the virus.[98] Pedro Cuatrecasas states, "during the R&D of acyclovir (Zovirax), marketing [department of Burroughs Wellcome] insisted that there were 'no markets' for this compound. Most had hardly heard of genital herpes..." Thus, marketing the medical condition – separating the 'normal cold sore' from the 'stigmatized genital infection' was to become the key to marketing the drug, a process now known as 'disease mongering'.[99][100] Since the creation of the herpes hype, some people experience negative feelings related to the condition following diagnosis, in particular if they have acquired the genital form of the disease. Feelings can include depression, fear of rejection, feelings of isolation, fear of being found out, and self-destructive feelings.[101] These feelings usually lessen over time. Much of the hysteria and stigma surrounding herpes stems from a media campaign beginning in the late 1970s and peaking in the early 1980s. Multiple articles were worded in fear-mongering and anxiety-provoking terminology, such as the now-ubiquitous "attacks", "outbreaks", "victims", and "sufferers". At one point, the term "herpetic" even entered the popular lexicon. The articles were published by Reader's Digest, U.S. News, and Time magazine, among others. A made-for-TV movie was named Intimate Agony. The peak was when Time magazine had 'Herpes: The New Scarlet Letter' on the cover in August 1982, forever stigmatizing the word in the public mind.[81] Herpes support groups have been formed in the United States and the UK, providing information about herpes and running message forums and dating websites for sufferers. People with the herpes virus are often hesitant to divulge to other people, including friends and family, that they are infected. This is especially true of new or potential sexual partners whom they consider casual.[102]

techaddict009 11y ago

My fiance has it, should I worry about it? Is there any proper cure? I dnt want that me or our future baby gets it.

oxplot 11y ago

The source of this news article: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/herpes/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/herpes/en/