Contracting Genital Herpes

According to the latest findings, about 1 out of every 5 people in America have genital herpes, but only 10% of those infected have actually been diagnosed with the virus .

Risky business

This large pool of undiagnosed genital herpes carriers paints a picture about the social perception of this disease, and poses risks to those who are sexually active. Because of the perceived negative social stigma associated with the fact that genital herpes has no cure or vaccine, many who experience symptoms avoid being tested for the virus, which then potentially increases the risk of infection to their sexual partners.

Risks for men and women

The latest studies show that the risk of contracting genital herpes is about 10% in a year for uninfected women and about 4% a year for uninfected men. That is, if 100 infected men were having sex (one on one) with 100 uninfected women in a year, 10 women would contract genital herpes. If the situation were reversed, about 4 men would get genital herpes in a year. The studies that reported those numbers were based on the following criteria: 1) no sex during outbreaks, 2) no daily antiviral medication and 3) no regular use of condoms by men. Because of this risk, it is important for everyone to learn how people contract genital herpes, and the ways to limit the risk of contracting the disease.

How is it transmitted?

Genital herpes is transmitted from one person to another by sexual contact. Sexual contact includes not only intercourse, but also oral-genital contact and unprotected genital contact. There are two main strains of herpes, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2. Other strains, such as herpes zoster (chicken pox or shingles are both caused by herpes zoster), usually do not recur more than once. Studies have shown that about 70% of adults in the US display evidence of a previous HSV 1 infection when their blood is tested for HSV 1 antibodies , meaning that HSV 1, also known as oral cold sores or fever blisters, which is passed most often by kissing, is quite common. HSV 2 is generally known as genital herpes, and a vast majority of those contracting genital herpes contract this strain consisting of symptoms such as irritation, itching, unusual discharge, and small red or white bumps on the penis or vagina (photos of symptoms can be found on online at a number of medical websites). When someone has a cold sore on their mouth or a history of cold sores with no sores present, and is the giver of oral sex to someone else, the HSV 1 virus can be spread from the mouth to the genitals. Special precautions need to be taken to ensure that herpes is not passed to a child from a mother during pregnancy.

Stopping the myths

There are some myths about genital herpes that need to be dispelled. First, it is very unlikely that anyone would actually get herpes from an inanimate object such as a hot tub or toilet seat. Second, there have been no reports that have linked herpes with a higher risk of cervical cancer among women.

Wearing condoms, getting tested before engaging in sexual intercourse with a partner, and abstaining from sex when sores are present on a sexual partner's genitalia are three good ways to reduce the risk of contracting genital herpes. While taking these steps may be inconvenient, reducing your risk is worth the extra effort.

For those who are current genital herpes carriers, there are support groups that offer help. Publications often put out herpes personal advertisements that can help carriers reenter the dating scene.