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Herpes Statistics

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Herpes StatisticsHerpes simplex type 1 and 2 are viral infections. HSV-1 is commonly called oral herpes and HSV-2 is referred to as genital herpes. Neither of these diseases have a cure, but only treatment options.

The statistics and facts are broken out between the two types of herpes.

What is Oral Herpes?

Oral herpes is indicated by the appearance of cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth. There is a type of HSV-1 that is called oral-facial herpes where the blisters and cold sores are located on the chin, cheek, or on and in the nose.

This viral infection can be easily passed to another person with a casual kiss when an infected person has a sore, and even when there are no visible signs of the disease. Besides the visible symptoms, a person with HSV-1 can have headaches, muscle aches, swollen glands in the throat, and other flu-like symptoms. Many people with this disease don’t know they have it. The sores can be mistaken for pimples, razor burn, an ingrown hair, or even a small cut at the side of the mouth.

If a person who is infected with oral herpes engages in oral sex, then the partner can get oral herpes on their genitals.

Oral Herpes Statistics

Depending on the study or estimates it is believed that between 50 and 80 percent of the United States adult population has oral herpes. Projections estimate that a full 90 percent of those living in the US will contract oral herpes before they turn fifty years of age. Unfortunately this disease isn’t limited to adults as many will contract this disease during childhood. It is possible to contract oral herpes by a quick, casual kiss from an infected relative or other individual.

Only fifty percent of those who get oral herpes will have a recurring outbreak.

What is Genital Herpes?

Genital herpes is a highly contagious viral infection. It is important to note that a many of those infected with this disease don’t know they have genital herpes. The physical symptoms of HSV-2 can include blisters and sores on the genitals, buttocks, or anal area of the body. HSV-2 will cycle through resting periods and active outbreaks. Other symptoms associated with genital herpes include headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes in the groin, fever, and burning or pain on urination.

Genital Herpes Statistics

To begin with it is estimated that between 30 and 45 million people in the United States have genital herpes. This means that one of five American adults and adolescents have the disease. HSV-2 is more common in women as it is easier for the male to pass on the disease to his partner than it is for the female to give the disease to a man.

The statistics for genital herpes in women are one of four, for men it is about one in five.

Other statistics for genital herpes include:

  • The statistical evidence reflects that as many as 80 to 90 percent of those who have genital herpes have never had their condition diagnosed. Some of these people may realize they have the disease, while a great many don’t know they do.
  • Throughout the world blacks make up 45.9% of the total genital herpes cases and whites make up 17.6% of the total genital herpes cases. While the instance of genital herpes in the United States is about 20% of the population, in Africa it is as much as 80% of the population.
  • The segment of the population with the most dramatic increase in genital herpes is young white teens. Twelve to nineteen-year-old whites are five times more likely to have genital herpes today than they were twenty years ago. Young white adults from twenty to twenty-nine have doubled their instances of genital herpes over twenty years ago.
  • Each year there are about one million new cases of herpes throughout the world, in the United States there are about 500,000 new cases each year.
  • From twenty percent to twenty-five percent of pregnant women have genital herpes.
  • About eighty percent of those having their first episode of genital herpes will have at least one recurring outbreak. For those infected with genital herpes that have recurring outbreaks, the average number of yearly outbreaks is four or five.
  • Clinical trials done on an antiviral therapy called Valaciclovir have shown this drug to prevent or delay as much as 85% of genital herpes outbreaks.
  • The cervix in women is typically infected from eighty to ninety percent of the time in an initial genital herpes infection. These infections are often accompanied with vaginal discharge.
  • Somewhere in the world another person gets genital herpes every thirty seconds.
  • The number of genital herpes cases has increased thirty percent in the last decade.

For more information on herpes from the CDC or Center for Disease Control and Prevention, see here.

Herpes in Men

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Herpes in MenWhile genital herpes or an HSV-2 infection may be more common in women, this is because it is easier for an infected male to transmit the disease to female partners than it is for a female to give the disease to any male. The Center for Disease Control Statistics show that in the age group of 14 to 49 years old, one out of five women and one out of nine men have genital herpes.

To see the CDC fact sheet on genital herpes see here.

For oral herpes the statistics show that as many as 80% of the adult population in the United States may have oral herpes or HSV-1.

Oral Herpes in Men

Herpes simplex 1 or HSV-1 is commonly called oral herpes. The physical symptoms of this viral infection are often referred to as cold sores or fever blisters. In men and women these sores will often occur on or around the mouth. There is also a form of this disease called oral-facial herpes in which the blisters or sores will show up in clusters on the chin, cheek, or even in or around the nose.

Men can mistake the early stages of oral herpes for a pimple, razor burn, a small crack at the side of the mouth, or a bug bite. The sores can be an itchy or tingly red bump. They can look like small white sores or blisters. If you or your partner has open oral herpes sores around or in their mouth, oral herpes can be transferred to the genital area during oral sex.

Typically oral herpes symptoms will start as an aching pain or burning in the lip area. Men with oral herpes may also have swollen throat glands or swelling in other lymph glands. They can also experience a low grade fever or a sore throat.

In the beginning men may have oral herpes that looks like one single cold sore or a cluster of blisters with red and swollen skin surrounding the breakout area. Once they’ve appeared the sores will generally break open within a few days, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over. They will generally heal and disappear within about ten days. Oral herpes will go through dormant periods and then reappear at any time.

Stress, illness, or overexposure to sun can precipitate a flare up of oral herpes. Many men who have oral herpes have such mild symptoms that they don’t realize they have this viral illness.

Oral herpes is highly contagious during an outbreak. It can be transferred to anyone by kissing or coming into contact with someone who is infected. Many children get oral herpes from a quick and casual kiss from an infected relative.

Genital Herpes in Men

Herpes simplex 2 or HSV-2 is commonly called genital herpes. On men this type of herpes has physical symptoms that will often show up as small groups of blisters on their penis or scrotum. The small sores may also form on the anus, urethra, buttocks, thighs, and if you participated in oral sex with an infected person during an outbreak, you can get genital herpes sores around the mouth area.

Typically the small blisters will pop, leak a clear fluid and then form a scab a few days after they appear. Once the sores have scabbed over it will generally take them about ten days to heal completely.

Estimates are that over 90% of the men and women who have the viral infection known as genital herpes, don’t realize that they have the disease. Men will often mistake the symptoms for razor burn, pimples or ingrown hairs, bug bites, and even jock itch.

There are many signs and symptoms that can indicate that you have genital herpes, these include:

  • Itchy or tingly feeling in the genital area
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Feeling like you might be coming down with the flu
  • Pain or burning during urination
  • Pain or burning sensation around the buttocks and anus
  • Raw or burning sensation on the skin that may feel as if you had rug burn, or like you have a slight sunburn around the genitals and buttocks.
  • Depression and irritability
  • Muscle aches
  • Tender or swollen lymph nodes around the genital area

The tingling or slight burning sensation in the skin can serve as an early warning sign that you are about to have an outbreak. You can start antiviral medication at this time to minimize the effects of the flare-up and to help you heal faster.

Summary

While there is no cure for herpes in men or women, there are things you can do to minimize the effect of the disease on your life and that will help you heal faster, keeping outbreaks to a minimum. Talk to your doctor about your herpes symptoms if you haven’t been diagnosed. The diagnosis will allow the doctor to prescribe anti-viral treatments that may help you minimize the symptoms of the disease and the frequency of outbreaks by as much as fifty percent.

Remember that both oral and genital herpes are highly contagious with skin-to-skin contact. Treating the disease properly will minimize the risk of passing this disease to someone else.

Testing For Herpes

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Testing For HerpesIf you think you might have herpes simplex then you should see your doctor and get tested. Anytime you have blisters or open sores it is the best time to be tested. This way the doctor can swab the sore for fluid, and can use this for an analysis.

But even if there are no outbreaks for the doctor to test, if you believe you might have herpes you should still see your medical practitioner as there are other types of tests that can search for herpes virus antibodies in your system. You can also explain why you think you might have herpes, discuss your symptoms, and explore treatment options if it is determined that you do have one of the types of herpes simplex.

Typically testing for herpes is done for genital herpes or HSV-2 only. Oral herpes is generally diagnosed visually if you have fever blisters or open sores. The severity and frequency of outbreaks will help the doctor determine if you need testing.

Symptoms for Active Herpes Outbreaks

Herpes simplex type 1 and type 2 are both viral infections for which there is no cure. Both forms of herpes simplex will cycle through periods of dormancy, where the viral organism is at rest, and periods of active outbreaks.

Both types of herpes simplex have similar symptoms, the main difference being where the herpes outbreaks manifest. For HSV-1 or oral herpes the fever blisters or cold sores will typically be concentrated around the lips or on the face. For HSV-2 or genital herpes these outbreaks will typically be found on or around the genitals, thighs, or buttocks.

Both types of herpes are very contagious, especially when there are visible signs of an outbreak. The signs and symptoms are somewhat individualized, from barely there to severe. If you have been sick or have intense periods of stress this can cause outbreaks, and may even cause the outbreaks to be more severe than you normally experience.

Besides the fever blisters and cold sores, symptoms for both types of herpes simplex may include muscle aches, fever, headache, and fatigue. Many people who have herpes don’t realize that they are infected with the disease. This is often because the symptoms can mirror the flu or other general illness. Swollen glands in the throat for oral herpes, and in the groin area for genital herpes may go un-noticed or thought to be something else. Many times the outbreaks will be written off as razor burn, pimples, ingrown hairs, or some kind of rash.

Typically the primary infection will have more blisters or sores than subsequent outbreaks. The first manifestation of the viral infection will often cover the most area of skin, with recurrences focused over less area. With genital herpes the first showing of the illness may cause painful urination, swollen lymph nodes, and a general feeling of sickness. The flare-ups will typically be less severe, but not always. A poor immune system or increased stress can cause flare-ups or outbreaks to gain in severity.

The reason the first occurrence of herpes simplex is the worst is that your body hasn’t yet created the antibodies needed to fight off the viral infection. Once you’ve had the initial outbreak, the antibodies produced to fight the infection will keep it from being as severe as the first time.

Testing For Herpes

While it is true that diagnosing herpes simplex is usually done by your doctor after you have shared your symptoms and he has confirmed an outbreak, there are tests available to confirm if you have herpes or not. This might be particularly important if you are pregnant or become pregnant, or if you want to help keep your partner or future partner from getting herpes.

As stated before, when you have an active outbreak with blisters or sores you should go see your doctor before they heal. This would allow the doctor to swab the lesions and use the primary testing methods to verify whether or not you have the disease.

The primary testing methods for herpes simplex include:

  • Herpes Viral Culture – Once fluid or cells are taken from a blister or sore with a cotton swab, the sample is put into a culture container that will be left for a period of time and then evaluated for herpes.
  • Herpes Virus antigen detection test – Again using cells scrapped from a fresh outbreak, the swab is smeared on a slide and put under a microscope so that the doctor or lab technician can search for herpes antigens. This test is sometimes done alone, or along with a viral culture.
  • Polymerase chain reaction or PCR test – Typically this type of test is done on a blood sample or on spinal fluids. PCR is used to find the herpes DNA or genetic markers. One advantage to this test is that it can differentiate between the two forms of Herpes Simplex, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Traditionally this test is done on spinal fluid and used when herpes is believed to be causing a brain infection.
  • Antibody tests – This blood test is done to look for herpes antibodies that can be found in the blood if you have been exposed to herpes and have had the first outbreak. This test is not helpful if you have recently been infected and it can’t tell if you have a herpes infection that is active now, or if it is an infection you had in the past. There are some blood tests that will just tell you that you have herpes, and some that will tell you if you have oral herpes or genital herpes.

Typically test samples for genital herpes are taken from the sores found in the genital area. There are extremely rare circumstances where fluids may need to be taken from blood, urine, tears, or spinal fluid.

There are private, in home tests available for herpes. See here for more information on these tests.