World Health Organization: Two-Thirds of the World Has Herpes

[taco.vidal]

WHO news release: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/...015/herpes/en/

Oct. 29, 2015

That's more than 3.7 billion people

Two-thirds of the globe’s population has herpes, according to the World Health Organization.

That’s more than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50, or 67% of the population, the organization said Friday. There are two types of the herpes simplex virus, an infectious and incurable condition. HSV-1 is primarily transmitted through oral-oral contact and causes cold sores around the mouth, while HSV-2 is sexually transmitted and causes genital herpes.

But the new WHO study shows that HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes through oral sex. Now, over half-a-billion people between ages 15 and 49 have genital herpes caused by either strain of the herpes virus.

“Access to education and information on both types of herpes and sexually transmitted infections is critical to protect young people’s health before they become sexually active,” Marleen Temmerman, Director of WHO’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research, said in a statement.

In the Americas, the region with the lowest rates of infection, 49% of women and 39% of men are estimated to carry HSV-1. In Africa, the region with the highest rates, 87% of both women and men are estimated to have HSV-1.

[Locke]

I consider that a bullet dodged!

Lets call that a win.

[jammies]

I don't have it, therefore taco and locke do.

Sluts.

[zamler]

NSFW!

[#-3]

Something this wide spread, it's likely many of our are carriers without symptoms, so even if you don't know Locke. Your probably Herp infested.

[rubecube]

I just feel bad for those infected, due to the stigma attached to it and the crappy jokes people make about it. Not to mention the slut-shaming that also tends to go hand in hand with that. I know a few people who have HSV and the stigma tends to be the most devastating part about it. The prospect of disclosing to potential partners is absolutely terrifying for them, and can prevent them from even attempting to date new people. Hopefully info like this will help combat some of the ignorance and stigma surrounding the disease. If people take the proper precautions with each other, the risk of transmission is pretty damn low (less than 1% or something).

[Daradon]

Oh oh, sounds like Rube's got it...

[Daradon]

It's not just a problem for humans.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/04/03/...f-coral-reefs/

As Colbert once said: Ok, whose been ****ing the coral reefs?!

[Caged Great]

These numbers are not surprising at all. If I recall that over a certain age your likelihood of getting it was close to 100% (over 60, but I am fuzzy on it, it was a long time ago)

One thing I am hopeful for with all the new medical breakthroughs in all fields that seem to be coming daily recently is a breakthrough to figure out how to destroy this bug on a cellular level.

Whether it's Cancer, AIDS, Herpes, or any of the other afflictions that are destructive like Malaria etc, a cure sooner than later would be most appreciated.

[JohnnyB]

Well, with HSV-1 I'm certainly in that 67%. Think I first got it in kindergarten or the first grade. It's really not such a big deal.

[Erick Estrada]

Not surprised about HSV-1 at all.

[Hockeyguy15]

My wife has HSV-1, but she assured me she got it from a toilet seat.

[skudr248]

^ burst out laughing

[troutman]

The rest are in line for Stars Wars.

[CrazyCaper]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

My wife has HSV-1, but she assured me she got it from a toilet seat.

Are you sure it wasn't a tractor?

[flylock shox]

Part of the problem is that a huge proportion of people with the virus don't know they have it, and for some reason standard std tests in Canada don't test for it either.

It's basically physically harmless, but it doesn't make sense not to test for it given how common it is and how easily transmitted it is. I wonder if they don't do it because so many people already have it.

[Ozy_Flame]

Someone who can cure this is going to be a univerzillionaire.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Someone who can cure this is going to be a univerzillionaire.

Could probably build a death star with that much dough.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Part of the problem is that a huge proportion of people with the virus don't know they have it, and for some reason standard std tests in Canada don't test for it either.

It's basically physically harmless, but it doesn't make sense not to test for it given how common it is and how easily transmitted it is. I wonder if they don't do it because so many people already have it.

It's a pretty big waste of money to test for things that 2/3rds of people have, that is ultimately physically harmless, and there is no cure for. Better to put it towards development of a vaccine ala HPV (Also something they do not test for for the same reasons).

[polak]

I haven't had a cold sore in my life and have been surrounded by family and friends who get them all the time.

I have come to the conclusion that I am asymptomatic