How common is genital Herpes

How common is genital Herpes When people learn that they have genital herpes, the first reaction is often a feeling of isolation - of being alone with the problem. But if you have genital herpes, you are far from alone. Infection with HSV-2 (the virus which is the most common cause of genital herpes) is a lot more common than you might think. One in five people in the USA - 20 per cent of the population - are infected with HSV-2.

In other countries, information on the number of people who are infected with HSV-2 has often been collected in certain groups of individuals. For example, a number of studies have been carried out in pregnant women to determine how many have the HSV-2 virus. Infection with HSV-2 is more common in Africa, where between 27 and 71% of adults are infected. HSV-2 infection is most common in people aged 20 to 30 years. The number of people infected with HSV-2 is increasing rapidly. In the USA, it rose by 30 per cent between 1980 and 1994. There is a similar trend in other parts of the world. Yet four in five people who are infected with HSV-2 do not even know it - either because they and their doctors do not recognise the symptoms, or because they are infected with the virus but never suffer from any symptoms.

How common is genital Herpes

When people learn that they have genital herpes, the first reaction is often a feeling of isolation - of being alone with the problem.

But if you have genital herpes, you are far from alone. Infection with HSV-2 (the virus which is the most common cause of genital herpes) is a lot more common than you might think. One in five people in the USA - 20 per cent of the population - are infected with HSV-2.

In other countries, information on the number of people who are infected with HSV-2 has often been collected in certain groups of individuals. For example, a number of studies have been carried out in pregnant women to determine how many have the HSV-2 virus.

Infection with HSV-2 is more common in Africa, where between 27 and 71% of adults are infected.

HSV-2 infection is most common in people aged 20 to 30 years.

The number of people infected with HSV-2 is increasing rapidly. In the USA, it rose by 30 per cent between 1980 and 1994. There is a similar trend in other parts of the world.

Yet four in five people who are infected with HSV-2 do not even know it - either because they and their doctors do not recognise the symptoms, or because they are infected with the virus but never suffer from any symptoms.

Back to Genital Herpes - the Facts

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