What Percentage Of Americans Have Herpes

What Percentage Of Americans Have Herpes
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Home Herpes Facts Herpes Statistics: How Common is Genital Herpes?
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People are often surprised to learn how common genital herpes is. And looking at the data, about 48 million Americans would be in for a surprise if they got tested today. So how common is herpes? These genital herpes statistics focus on HSV-2 rates in the United States. Fortunately, the data also shows that herpes is highly manageable and people who have it can still have healthy love and sex lives.
Medically reviewed by Meagan Fleming, RN on Jan. 1, 2019 — Written by Editorial Staff
Planned Parenthood states that 1 in 6 Americans has genital herpes. ( 1 ) According to the American Sexual Health Organization, close to 90% of Americans don’t know they have genital herpes. ( 2 ) And according to the CDC, the statistic of infected people who don’t know is 87.4%. ( 3 )
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Female genitals are more susceptible to infection due to their exposed soft tissue.
An interesting note about HSV-2 transmission is that it’s often contracted within long-term relationships rather than through other high-risk considerations ( 9 ).
According to studies done by Valtrex, these are the rates of transmission per year of regular sex :
Though this article focuses on genital herpes caused by HSV-2, oral herpes is extremely common. In fact, many cases of genital herpes are caused by oral herpes, nothing more than a cold sore or contagious period that passed to the genitals through oral sex.
The big takeaways from these numbers are that:
1. Herpes is more common than many might think , and a lot of people are unaware they are infected and may not even have symptoms to tip them off. Unfortunately, when clinicians give “standard” STI check-ups, they don’t include tests for HSV-1 or HSV-2, unless it is specifically requested.
2. Many couples have a healthy sex life and still never transmit it to the uninfected partner. Taking precautions like avoiding sex during and around the time of an outbreak, using condoms and taking antiviral medication like valacyclovir (Valtrex) or Acyclovir drastically reduces the likelihood of transmission. The statistics indicate that it’s possible to get your chances of transmitting HSV-2 down to as low as 2.1% with condoms and antiviral medications.
3. Take charge of your sexual health and get regularly screened for STIs. You can specifically request a herpes test if the practitioner does not include it in standard checkups and you feel you need treatment. You can even order tests online:
Note: Not all genital herpes statistics are consistent from study to study. Most say 25% of American women have the virus, and 20% of American males. Other studies show slightly lower numbers. The studies with slightly lower numbers refer to people from 14 to 49 , while the higher number studies are based on all people over 12 . As populations age, there is a higher incidence of STIs.
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Genital Herpes – CDC Detailed Fact Sheet
Genital Herpes - CDC Basic Fact Sheet

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Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2).
Genital herpes infection is common in the United States. CDC estimated that there were 572,000 new genital herpes infections in the United States in a single year. 1 Nationwide, 11.9 % of persons aged 14 to 49 years have HSV-2 infection (12.1% when adjusted for age). 2 However, the prevalence of genital herpes infection is higher than that because an increasing number of genital herpes infections are caused by HSV-1. 3 Oral HSV-1 infection is typically acquired in childhood; because the prevalence of oral HSV-1 infection has declined in recent decades, people may have become more susceptible to contracting a genital herpes infection from HSV-1. 4
HSV-2 infection is more common among women than among men; the percentages of those infected during 2015-2016 were 15.9% versus 8.2% respectively, among 14 to 49 year olds. 2 This is possibly because genital infection is more easily transmitted from men to women than from women to men during penile-vaginal sex. 5 HSV-2 infection is more common among non-Hispanic blacks (34.6%) than among non-Hispanic whites (8.1%). 2 A previous analysis found that these disparities, exist even among persons with similar numbers of lifetime sexual partners. Most infected persons may be unaware of their infection; in the United States, an estimated 87.4% of 14 to 49 year olds infected with HSV-2 have never received a clinical diagnosis. 6
The age-adjusted percentage of persons in the United States infected with HSV-2 decreased from 18.0% in 1999–2000 to 12.1% in 2015-2016. 2
Infections are transmitted through contact with HSV in herpes lesions, mucosal surfaces, genital secretions, or oral secretions. 5 HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be shed from normal-appearing oral or genital mucosa or skin. 7 ,8 Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during genital contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. However, receiving oral sex from a person with an oral HSV-1 infection can result in getting a genital HSV-1 infection. 4 Transmission commonly occurs from contact with an infected partner who does not have visible lesions and who may not know that he or she is infected. 7 In persons with asymptomatic HSV-2 infections, genital HSV shedding occurs on 10.2% of days, compared to 20.1% of days among those with symptomatic infections. 8
Most individuals infected with HSV are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms that go unnoticed or are mistaken for another skin condition. 9 When symptoms do occur, herpes lesions typically appear as one or more vesicles, or small blisters, on or around the genitals, rectum or mouth. The average incubation period for an initial herpes infection is 4 days (range, 2 to 12) after exposure. 10 The vesicles break and leave painful ulcers that may take two to four weeks to heal after the initial herpes infection. 5,10 Experiencing these symptoms is referred to as having a first herpes “outbreak” or episode.
Clinical manifestations of genital herpes differ between the first and recurrent (i.e., subsequent) outbreaks. The first outbreak of herpes is often associated with a longer duration of herpetic lesions, increased viral shedding (making HSV transmission more likely) and systemic symptoms including fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, or headache. 5 ,10 Recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes are common, and many patients who recognize recurrences have prodromal symptoms, either localized genital pain, or tingling or shooting pains in the legs, hips or buttocks, which occur hours to days before the eruption of herpetic lesions. 5 Symptoms of recurrent outbreaks are typically shorter in duration and less severe than the first outbreak of genital herpes. 5 Long-term studies have indicated that the number of symptomatic recurrent outbreaks may decrease over time. 5 Recurrences and subclinical shedding are much less frequent for genital HSV-1 infection than for genital HSV-2 infection. 5
Genital herpes may cause painful genital ulcers that can be severe and persistent in persons with suppressed immune systems, such as HIV-infected persons. 5 Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can also cause rare but serious complications such as aseptic meningitis (inflammation of the linings of the brain). 5 Development of extragenital lesions (e.g. buttocks, groin, thigh, finger, or eye) may occur during the course of infection. 5
Some persons who contract genital herpes have concerns about how it will impact their overall health, sex life, and relationships. 5, 11 There can also be considerable embarrassment, shame, and stigma associated with a herpes diagnosis that can substantially interfere with a patient’s relationships. 10 Clinicians can address these concerns by encouraging patients to recognize that while herpes is not curable, it is a manageable condition. 5 Three important steps that providers can take for their newly-diagnosed patients are: giving information, providing support resources, and helping define treatment and prevention options. 12 Patients can be counseled that risk of genital herpes transmission can be reduced, but not eliminated, by disclosure of infection to sexual partners, 5 avoiding sex during a recurrent outbreak, 5 use of suppressive antiviral therapy, 5, 10 and consistent condom use. 7 Since a diagnosis of genital herpes may affect perceptions about existing or future sexual relationships, it is important for patients to understand how to talk to sexual partners about STDs. One resource can be found here: www.gytnow.org/talking-to-your-partner
There are also potential complications for a pregnant woman and her newborn child. See “ How does herpes infection affect a pregnant woman and her baby? ” below for information about this.
Genital ulcerative disease caused by herpes makes it easier to transmit and acquire HIV infection sexually. There is an estimated 2- to 4-fold increased risk of acquiring HIV, if individuals with genital herpes infection are genitally exposed to HIV. 13-15 Ulcers or breaks in the skin or mucous membranes (lining of the mouth, vagina, and rectum) from a herpes infection may compromise the protection normally provided by the skin and mucous membranes against infections, including HIV. 14 In addition, having genital herpes increases the number of CD4 cells (the target cell for HIV entry) in the genital mucosa. In persons with both HIV and genital herpes, local activation of HIV replication at the site of genital herpes infection can increase the risk that HIV will be transmitted during contact with the mouth, vagina, or rectum of an HIV-uninfected sex partner. 14
Neonatal herpes is one of the most serious complications of genital herpes. 5, 16 Healthcare providers should ask all pregnant women if they have a history of genital herpes. 11 Herpes infection can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth, or babies may be infected shortly after birth, resulting in a potentially fatal neonatal herpes infection. 17 Infants born to women who acquire genital herpes close to the time of delivery and are shedding virus at delivery are at a much higher risk for developing neonatal herpes, compared with women who have recurrent genital herpes . 16, 18-20 Thus, it is important that women avoid contracting herpes during pregnancy. Women should be counseled to abstain from intercourse during the third trimester with partners known to have or suspected of having genital herpes. 5, 11
While women with genital herpes may be offered antiviral medication late in pregnancy through delivery to reduce the risk of a recurrent herpes outbreak, third trimester antiviral prophylaxis has not been shown to decrease the risk of herpes transmission to the neonate. 11, 21, 22 Routine serologic HSV screening of pregnant women is not recommended. 11 However, at onset of labor, all women should undergo careful examination and questioning to evaluate for presence of prodromal symptoms or herpetic lesions. 11 If herpes symptoms are present a cesarean delivery is recommended to prevent HSV transmission to the infant. 5, 11, 23 There are detailed guidelines for how to manage asymptomatic infants born to women with active genital herpes lesions. 24
HSV nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) are the most sensitive and highly specific tests available for diagnosing herpes. However, in some settings viral culture is the only test available. The sensitivity of viral culture can be low, especially among people who have recurrent or healing lesions. Because viral shedding is intermittent, it is possible for someone to have a genital herpes infection even though it was not detected by NAAT or culture. 11
Type-specific virologic tests can be used for diagnosing genital herpes when a person has recurrent symptoms or lesion without a confirmatory NAAT, culture result, or has a partner with genital herpes. Both virologic tests and type-specific serologic tests should be available in clinical settings serving patients with, or at risk for, sexually transmitted infections. 11
Given performance limitations with commercially available type-specific serologic tests (especially with low index value results [<3]), a confirmatory test (Biokit or Western Blot) with a second method should be performed before test interpretation. If confirmatory tests are unavailable, patients should be counseled about the limitations of available testing before serologic testing. Healthcare providers should also be aware that false-positive results occur. In instances of suspected recent acquisition, serologic testing within 12 weeks after acquisition may be associated with false negative test results. 11
HSV-1 serologic testing does not distinguish between oral and genital infection, and typically should not be performed for diagnosing genital HSV-1 infection. Diagnosis of genital HSV-1 infection is confirmed by virologic tests from lesions. 11
CDC does not recommend screening for HSV-1 or HSV-2 in the general population due to limitations of the type specific serologic testing. 11 Several scenarios where type-specific serologic HSV tests may be useful include:
Patients who are at higher risk of infection (e.g., presenting for an STI evaluation, especially those with multiple sex partners), and people with HIV might need to be assessed for a history of genital herpes symptoms, followed by serology testing in those with genital symptoms. 11
Providers are strongly encouraged to look at CDC’s STI Treatment Guidelines for further diagnostic considerations.
There is no cure for herpes. Antiviral medications can, however, prevent or shorten outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication. 11 In addition, daily suppressive therapy (i.e., daily use of antiviral medication) for herpes can reduce the likelihood of transmission to partners. 11
There is currently no commercially available vaccine that is protective against genital herpes infection. Candidate vaccines are in clinical trials.
Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of transmitting or acquiring genital herpes because herpes virus shedding can occur in areas that are not covered by a condom. 25, 26
The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs, including genital herpes, is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested for STDs and is known to be uninfected.
Persons with herpes should abstain from sexual activity with partners when herpes lesions or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a person does not have any symptoms, he or she can still infect sex partners. Sex partners of infected persons should be advised that they may become infected and they should use condoms to reduce the risk. Sex partners can seek testing to determine if they are infected with HSV.
Daily treatment with valacyclovir decreases the rate of HSV-2 transmission in discordant, heterosexual couples in which the source partner has a history of genital HSV-2 infection. 27 Such couples should be encouraged to consider suppressive antiviral therapy as part of a strategy to prevent transmission, in addition to consistent condom use and avoidance of sexual activity during recurrences.
Counseling those with genital herpes, as well as their sex partners, is critical. It c
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What Percentage Of Americans Have Herpes

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