Bad news: you probably have herpes and don't know it

Vox ^ | 04/23/2014 | by Susannah Locke

[SeekAndFind]

Yes, I'm talking to you. About 70% of Americans ages 14 to 49 have herpes, that is either the HSV-1 or HSV-2 versions. These viruses used to be clearly demarcated as oral and genital herpes, but these days it's clear that both can cause both types of infections.

Genital herpes is one of the most stigmatized of STI's, and it's far more common than most people think. But learning that you have it might just cause you more social harm than actual good. It's something that experts love to debate. Here are four facts you probably didn't want to know about herpes.

1. There's a good chance that you have herpes

If you catch chlamydia or gonorrhea, you can have it treated with antibiotics and it will go away. However, there is no cure for herpes. So once someone has it, she has it for life. Over an entire population, the cases just add up over time. This means that middle-aged adults have some shockingly high herpes rates. For example, 50 to 70 percent of single women aged 45 to 50 have herpes. (By the way, the chart above is for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), aka genital herpes. The other type is "oral herpes," HSV-1, although both viruses can infect people in both, um, places.)

2. There's an even higher chance if you're single

Maybe this isn't so surprising. But if you are single, you might want to take a look at the graph above. The red and purple are actual herpes rates. The solid lines are single people, and the dashed lines are people who are married or cohabiting. It's from this paper.

3. If you have herpes, you probably don't know it

[RegulatorCountry]

So single women and blacks are most likely to have herpes? You could basically call the democrat party the party of herpes.

I've long speculated that toxoplasma gondii parasitic infection from cats has a lot to do with unhinged leftist behavior, but maybe herpes plays a role, too.

[Dallas59]

Herpes? A problem?

[EEGator]

[SgtHooper]

OH BS! Here comes another medical over-diagnosis. Ok, what’s the freakin drug for this!?

[AppyPappy]

Weed

[rabidralph]

That was my question. Will the cooties attack celibate people, too, based on their demographic?

[gawatchman]

But they are getting a count based on gender/race in the charts in this article. How do they get their data if people may not have symptoms? Never understood that.

[cpdiii]

But they are getting a count based on gender/race in the charts in this article. How do they get their data if people may not have symptoms? Never understood that.

They test for the antibodies to herpes. You can be asymptomatic but have herpes. The antibodies will tell if you have it.

[cpdiii]

But they are getting a count based on gender/race in the charts in this article. How do they get their data if people may not have symptoms? Never understood that.

They test for the antibodies to herpes. You can be asymptomatic but have herpes. The antibodies will tell if you have it.

[vetvetdoug]

Many microbiologists working and previously worked at the University of Tennessee Microbiology department have Herpes due to the sloppy technique of one of the researchers that is entrenched there working on the virus. Its there I learned to disinfect a microscope often that was in general use, especially in cell culture work.

[Marcella]

“How do they get their data if people may not have symptoms? Never understood that.”

If they are honest, they can only count the ones who have been diagnosed. They can only guess to get a number of those who don't know they have it and have no symptoms.

I don't remember when I had my first fever blister on the lip when I was a child but I certainly was not sexually active as a child. I've had fever blisters occasionally through life but was always in a monogamous relationship and never anything but that. If simplex one is the only thing that causes a fever blister, then I got it as a child. My parents were married when I was born and stayed married throughout their lives. They were religious and had high standards about behavior and I lived by those rules, too.

Who knew a lip fever blister was a bad thing? Did anyone tell their perspective partner in those days, “By the way, I sometimes have a lip fever blister so you may not want to marry me.”

I read that whole article, and it said simplex one, the lip fever blister, can also cause blisters on the sex organ. I have never heard of that happening - never happened to me. I wonder if there is something else that can cause a lip fever blister? Is it only simplex one that can do that? I need to research that.

[B4Ranch]

If you have ever had a cold sore, that is Herpes-1 (oral) Easy to catch off of door handles, faucets, shopping carts, ......

[BobL]

The women may feel ‘liberated’, but they have ‘a gift’ for men that are not careful. Best bet - if they’re over 30, take a pass - there’s plenty that are younger and NOT infected.

[DManA]

If he’s talking about herpes simplex, the cold sore herpes he could be right.

[Marcella]

I found this below. It appears the majority of people will get simplex one as a child. My parents certainly didn’t look at everyone’s lips before they kissed me as a child and maybe one of them had a lip blister and kissed me. Here is what I found:

“Most people are first infected before they are 10 years old.

Prevention:
To help to prevent a first herpes infection in children do not let them be kissed by anyone who has cold sores, fever blisters or signs of a first herpes infection. However, HSV-1 is very common. Most children will be infected by the time they reach adulthood. Several different vaccines are being developed against HSV (types 1 and 2), but these appear to protect only people who have never been infected.

There is evidence that using sunscreen on your lips will prevent cold sores caused by sun exposure. Antiviral medicines may prevent cold sores from forming. In certain situations, your dentist or physician may prescribe these medicines. If you expect to encounter a known trigger, a medicine taken in advance can decrease the chance of a cold sore.”

[BenLurkin]

Whew!

Fortunately for me, I have no sex life.

[miele man]

Wow! First time I’ve ever read or heard that. Would you provide your source on this please. Thank you.

[jacquej]

I have found that raw honey patted on a fever blister works just as well, if not better than that tiny little tube of Abreva, which is pretty expensive.

Good raw honey is a helpful item in the family medicine cabinet. Google search for it’s may uses.

But, NEVER give it to infants under 1 year of age!

[ViLaLuz]

What...the...heck...is...that

[Marcella]

It’s a report from the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.

http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/Oral-and-Dental-Health-Basics/Common-Concerns/Canker-Sores-Cold-Sores-Infections/article/Cold-Sores-and-Fever-Blisters.cvsp