Herpes Simplex Virus is Creeping Away... Slowly

Herpes Simplex Viruses 1 and 2 are contested to be the most common sexually transmitted infections today. They are transmitted through direct contact either with sores or through viral shedding when sores are not present.

A new report shows that prevalence of HSV-1 is 48% among Americans age 14 to 49. This is a decrease from the 2000 figures which showed a 59% prevalence among the same demographic. This number is higher among among older individuals, 60% in U.S. adults ages 40 to 49. This makes sense, as they've had more opportunity to be infected, and there is no cure for herpes, so infection is lifelong. HSV-2 also seems to be down 12% of the 14-49 demographic, compared to 18% in 2000.

In both cases, women have higher rates of infection than men. Though there is no definitive evidence, scientists hypothesize this gap in infection rates is due to anatomical differences.

Many of the decreases that we have seen have been due to the increases in understanding of and protection against the virus. Increasing use of barrier protection as well as knowledge about the diagnosis and refraining from sexual activity when sores are present have brought down infection rates. However, the prevalence of the virus in the U.S. population is still extremely high and it will be a long way before we are free of Herpes... if we ever are.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/health/herpes-infection-rate.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

~Scarlett