How Many People Have Hsv1

How Many People Have Hsv1
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Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
Herpes - oral; MedlinePlus . A. Wald (2013). "U.S. Rates of HSV-1 and HSV-2 Infection Are Falling, Especially Among Whites." NEJM Journal Watch . Herpes simplex virus; World Health Organization .
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This common virus causes cold sores, but it doesn't always cause symptoms.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) spreads easily from person to person through direct contact with skin or contact with saliva.
HSV-1 causes blistering sores around the mouth and lips. These sores are called cold sores, fever blisters , or oral herpes.
HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes, but most cases of genital herpes are caused by a second type of herpes simplex virus, HSV-2.
HSV-1 stays in your body, permanently, in an inactive state once you're infected.
Certain triggers, such as stress, may periodically reactivate the virus and lead to recurrent symptoms and outbreaks.
HSV-1 infection is very common. The World Health Organization estimates that 67 percent of all people in the world younger than 50 have HSV-1.
In the United States, an estimated 54 percent of people between the ages of 14 and 49 have HSV-1.
Most people with HSV-1 become infected during childhood or adolescence.
Not everyone with HSV-1 gets cold sores or has symptoms. Many people with the virus don't even know they're infected.
Cold sores are very contagious. HSV-1 is transmitted mainly through mouth-to-mouth contact with an infected person.
It's important to keep your hands clean if you have a cold sore, because cold sores can spread to other parts of the body from the mouth area.
If you have a cold sore, wash your hands carefully before touching yourself or other people. Try not to touch your cold sore too much.
In some people, an HSV-1 infection can spread to:
When you have a cold sore, avoid the following activities to protect other people from catching the infection:
HSV-1 is most contagious when a cold sore is present, but it's still possible to spread HSV-1 to another person even if cold sores aren't present.
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Herpes simplex virus

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The herpes simplex virus (HSV) is categorized into 2 types: HSV-1 and HSV-2.
HSV-1 is mainly transmitted by oral-to-oral contact, causing oral herpes (including symptoms known as cold sores), but it can also lead to genital herpes.
HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted infection that causes genital herpes.
An estimated 3.7 billion people under age 50 (67%) have HSV-1 infection globally.
An estimated 491 million people aged 15–49 (13%) worldwide have HSV-2 infection.
Most HSV infections are asymptomatic, but symptoms of herpes include painful blisters or ulcers that can recur over time.
Infection with HSV-2 increases the risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV infection.

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Infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV), known as herpes, is common globally. HSV type 1 (HSV-1) is typically transmitted by oral-to-oral contact and causes infection in or around the mouth (oral herpes), but it can also cause genital herpes. HSV-2 is mainly sexually transmitted and causes genital herpes.
Both oral and genital herpes are mostly asymptomatic or unrecognized but can cause painful blisters or ulcers at the site of infection, ranging from mild to severe. Infection is lifelong, and symptoms can recur over many years. Some medications are available to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms, but they cannot cure the infection.
Recurrent symptoms of both oral and genital herpes may be distressing. Genital herpes can also be stigmatizing and have an impact on sexual relationships. However, in time, most people with either kind of herpes adjust to living with the infection.
In 2016 (last available estimates), 3.7 billion people under the age of 50, or 67% of the population, had HSV-1 infection (oral or genital). Most HSV-1 infections are acquired during childhood.
Genital herpes caused by HSV-2 affects an estimated 491 million (13%) people aged 15–49 years worldwide (2016 data). HSV-2 infects women almost twice as often as men because sexual transmission is more efficient from men to women. Prevalence increases with age, though the highest number of new infections are in adolescents.
Oral herpes infection is mostly asymptomatic, but symptoms can include painful blisters or open sores (ulcers) in or around the mouth (cold sores). Infected persons will often experience a tingling, itching or burning sensation around their mouth before the appearance of sores. These symptoms can recur periodically, and the frequency varies from person to person.
Genital herpes can be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms that go unrecognized. When symptoms occur, genital herpes is characterised by one or more genital or anal blisters or ulcers. Additionally, symptoms of a new infection often include fever, body aches and swollen lymph nodes. After an initial episode, which can be severe, symptoms may recur. Genital herpes caused by HSV-1 typically does not recur frequently. With HSV-2, recurrent symptoms are common. However, recurrences are often less severe than the first episode and tend to decrease over time.
HSV-1 is mainly transmitted via contact with the virus in sores, saliva or surfaces in or around the mouth. Less commonly, HSV-1 can be transmitted to the genital area through oral-genital contact to cause genital herpes. It can be transmitted from oral or skin surfaces that appear normal; however, the greatest risk of transmission is when there are active sores. People who already have HSV-1 are not at risk of reinfection, but they are still at risk of acquiring HSV-2.
HSV-2 is mainly transmitted during sex through contact with genital or anal surfaces, skin, sores or fluids of someone infected with the virus. HSV-2 can be transmitted even if the skin looks normal and is often transmitted in the absence of symptoms.
In rare circumstances, herpes (HSV-1 and HSV-2) can be transmitted from mother to child during delivery, causing neonatal herpes.
HSV-2 infection increases the risk of acquiring HIV infection by approximately three-fold. Additionally, people with both HIV and HSV-2 infection are more likely to spread HIV to others. HSV-2 infection is among the most common infections in people living with HIV.
In immunocompromised people, including those with advanced HIV infection, herpes can have more severe symptoms and more frequent recurrences. Rare complications of HSV-2 include meningoencephalitis (brain infection) and disseminated infection. Rarely, HSV-1 infection can lead to more severe complications such as encephalitis (brain infection) or keratitis (eye infection).
Neonatal herpes can occur when an infant is exposed to HSV during delivery. Neonatal herpes is rare, occurring in an estimated 10 out of every 100 000 births globally. However, it is a serious condition that can lead to lasting neurologic disability or death. The risk for neonatal herpes is greatest when a mother acquires HSV for the first time in late pregnancy.
Antiviral medications – such as acyclovir, famciclovir and valacyclovir – are the most effective medications for people infected with HSV (see WHO recommendations ). These can help to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms but cannot cure the infection.
People with symptoms of oral herpes should avoid oral contact with others (including oral sex) and sharing objects that touched saliva. Individuals with symptoms of genital herpes should abstain from sexual activity while experiencing symptoms. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 are most contagious when sores are present, but can also be transmitted when no symptoms are felt or visible.
For sexually active people, consistent and correct use of condoms is the best way to prevent genital herpes and other STIs. However, HSV infection can still occur through contact with genital or anal areas not covered by the condom. Medical male circumcision can provide life-long partial protection against HSV-2 infection, as well as against HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV).
People with symptoms suggestive of genital herpes should be offered HIV testing.
Pregnant women with symptoms of genital herpes should inform their health care providers. Preventing acquisition of HSV-2 infection is particularly important for women in late pregnancy when the risk for neonatal herpes is greatest.
WHO is working to increase awareness about HSV infection and its symptoms, improve access to antiviral medications, and promote HIV prevention efforts for those with genital herpes, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
WHO and partners are also supporting research to develop new strategies for prevention and control of HSV infections, such as vaccines and topical microbicides.

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Medically reviewed by Akanksha Sanghvi, MD

Written by Luminance Medical Affairs

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Herpes is a unique disease. Unlike other conditions that cause chronic or predictable symptoms, herpes is often an invisible disease.
The symptoms of herpes are only evident during an active outbreak . As soon as the virus wears itself out and returns to a dormant state, the symptoms disappear. Many people with herpes never suffer an outbreak, which means they remain asymptomatic their entire lives.
This begs the question: how many people have herpes in the U.S.? Believe it or not, the majority of Americans carry some form of this virus!
Herpes is a family of more than 100 known viruses , but only a handful can infect humans. Some you may not realize are related to herpes, including the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles.
The two most common and well-known herpes viruses are oral herpes and genital herpes.
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) spreads through direct contact with the skin and causes cold sores to develop on the face. Once HSV-1 enters your system, this virus spreads easily to trigger cold sores around the lips and mouth. It is highly contagious, especially when oozing blisters are present.
HSV-1 remains dormant in the nerve cells in your skin after your initial outbreak. It may lie inactive for weeks, months, or even years. It’s hard to predict exactly when and how the next outbreak will be triggered in the future, but these external factors are the most common causes of cold sores :
The herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV 2), most commonly known as genital herpes, is a sexually transmitted infection without a known cure. The most common sign of genital herpes is the development of blisters around the genital area. Herpes simplex blisters are often itchy and painful.
Other symptoms may accompany the blisters to indicate early warning signs of a person’s first genital herpes outbreak:
Most people experience their first outbreak two to twelve days after initial exposure to the virus. After the blisters break, it may take up to four weeks for herpes ulcers to heal.
Following the first outbreak, recurring outbreaks are common but don’t last nearly as long. Sores tend to heal within three to seven days in recurring outbreaks, and the number of outbreak periods may even decrease over time.
Other types of herpes can infect humans in different ways. The varicella-zoster herpes virus, for example, causes chickenpox and the shingles. Vaccines are available to prevent this form of the virus altogether.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also known as human herpesvirus 4, can cause infectious mononucleosis and other illnesses.
Cold sores and genital herpes are both members of the Herpesviridae family of DNA viruses, so they share many of the same characteristics and symptoms, including recurring infections and painful sores. However, each condition is caused by a different strain of the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
In most cases, there’s no link between HSV1 and HSV2. The HSV2 strain is a sexually transmitted disease, while HSV1 is not.
However, it’s worth noting that the categorization of HSV1 as oral herpes and HSV2 as genital herpes is not as clear-cut as once believed. Research now shows that up to 42% of genital herpes in females is actually caused by HSV-1, not HSV-2.
The percentage of people with herpes varies based on location, age, and demographics. Overall, oral herpes is far more prevalent than genital herpes.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated two-thirds of the population under 50 are infected with HSV1 globally. That equals more than 3.7 billion people or 67% of the world’s population. For Americans, HSV1 infection impacts nearly 50% of all people ages 14 to 49.
In some smaller research studies, the percentage of people with herpes was found to exceed 80 or 90%! For example, a randomized study of otherwise healthy Americans above the age of 60 reported an 84% prevalence of HSV1.
Genital herpes is most commonly caused by HSV2. According to the WHO, 417 million people worldwide aged 15-49 have an HSV2 infection.
Less commonly, HSV1 can cause the symptoms of genital herpes. It is believed that about 140 million people worldwide are infected with this form of genital HSV1, especially in the Americas, Europe, and Western Pacific.
Altogether, this totals more than half a billion people worldwide with genital herpes infection. In the United States alone, the ratio of people with genital herpes is one out of every six people aged 14 to 49.
Despite its prevalence, a surprising number of people are asymptomatic and never know they have herpes! This puts them at higher risk of spreading the herpes virus to others unintentionally.
Up to 80% of all HSV2 infections are asymptomatic . However, a lack of symptoms doesn’t always stop viral shedding in the genital tract. It’s still possible for asymptomatic people to shed the virus and spread it through oral or sexual contact with a partner.
Sometimes it’s easier to find misleading myths about herpes than the truth. These three herpes myths deserve to be debunked.
If you are pregnant and have genital herpes , you may believe the myth that you’ll definitely transmit the virus to your newborn baby. Fortunately, with the right precautions, your baby faces a very small risk of contracting the herpes virus. Nearly 30% of pregnant women have genital herpes, but only 0.1% of babies born in the U.S. each year contract neonatal herpes.
Herpes cannot be transmitted through the blood, but it can be detected through a blood test. In fact, people with a history of herpes simplex virus type 1 or 2 can safely donate blood as long as:
Unfortunately, there is no cure or vaccination for herpes. The structure and behavior of the herpes simplex virus makes it difficult to develop an effective vaccine, though scientists continue to try .
As much as people with herpes wish for a cure, this infection is currently a lifelong condition. But the good news is that antiviral med
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