How Common Is Herpes? (2023)

FAQs

How common is herpes? ›

How common is genital herpes? 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. Nationwide, 11.9 % of persons aged 14 to 49 years have HSV-2 infection (12.1% when adjusted for age).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48% of the population in the U.S. has HSV-1, while 12% has HSV-2. It is possible that many more people have HSV-1 than this, since asymptomatic infections are common and many people get the virus in childhood and never know they have it.

Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus by age 50. Once infected, a person will have herpes simplex virus for the rest of his or her life.

Herpes is easily spread from skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the virus. You can get it when your genitals and/or mouth touch their genitals and/or mouth — usually during oral, anal, and vaginal sex.

Herpes isn't deadly and it usually doesn't cause any serious health problems. While herpes outbreaks can be annoying and painful, the first flare-up is usually the worst. For many people, outbreaks happen less over time and may eventually stop completely.

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.

Herpes. For herpes, according to CDC guidelines, testing only occurs if there are symptoms and there are several reasons for this distinction. First, research shows diagnosing herpes in someone without symptoms does not change that person's sexual behavior and doesn't prevent herpes from spreading.

HSV-1 and HSV-2 are both known to cause genital herpes. It is estimated that, in the United States, 47.8% of people aged 14–49 have HSV-1, while 11.9% of Americans in the same age group have HSV-2 (WHO, 2017). Theoretically, this means that over 195 million people in the United States might have genital herpes.

While herpes blood tests offer a high level of accuracy, they are not infallible. Moreover, if you have symptoms, they may not be as useful or informative as an HSV viral culture or PCR test (both of which can detect HSV in a swab of fluid from a herpes sore).

Initial herpes symptoms usually show up 2 to 20 days after you're infected. But it may be years before the first symptoms appear. Herpes sores usually heal in a few weeks. But the virus stays in your body – and it can flare up and cause sores again.

Does herpes get less contagious over time? ›

Some participants shed no virus at all, but shedding was relatively common at two months, with the participants shedding HSV-1 on 12% of days. At 11 months, however, the rate had fallen to 7% of days. In most instances, participants did not have symptoms even though they were shedding virus.

The general rate of transmission of a person who has had herpes to their regular partner is about 10 percent per year, but the annual rate rises if the infected partner is a male. Unfairly, the female partner has a 20 percent chance of becoming infected, while the male partner's risk is less than 10 percent.

You are only required to tell the person you have herpes if you engage in sexual conduct.

Herpes is most easily spread when you have blisters and open sores on your body, though it is also possible to spread the virus when you have no symptoms. If you have oral herpes, do not share utensils, glasses, water bottles, towels, lip balm, or razors, especially when you have an outbreak.

Even when no sores are present, the herpes virus is still active in the body and can spread to others. If you or your partner has herpes, reduce the risk of spread by: using a condom every time you have sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).

Did you know that the virus that causes “cold sores” or “fever blisters” on or around the mouth can also infect other areas of the body? The infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus. And it's very common.

Genital Herpes Treatment and Care

There is no cure for genital herpes. However, daily use of antiviral medicines can prevent or shorten outbreaks. Antiviral medicines also can reduce the chance of spreading it to others.

Oral herpes is transmitted through direct contact between the contagious area and broken skin (a cut or break) and mucous membrane tissue (such as the mouth or genitals). In other words, HSV can be passed on through kissing or oral sex.

Yes. To prevent transmission of herpes, we recommend that condoms be used 100% of the time. Many patients will shed the virus and be contagious when they don't have symptoms. Studies have shown that asymptomatic shedding occurs between 1% and 3% of the time in patients with HSV II genital infections.

Study data shows that people with symptomatic herpes who take valacyclovir are almost 50% less likely to transmit the virus to others than non-medicated people with herpes. In one study, the HSV-2 acquisition rate was reduced from 3.6% to 1.9% using valacyclovir treatment.

Do most people get tested for herpes? ›

Testing for it is widely considered unnecessary. Unlike STIs like human papillomavirus (HPV), which are known to cause cervical cancer, herpes doesn't cause life-threatening conditions.

If you have the herpes virus and your body has produced antibodies, it can be detected on a blood test, even if you have no symptoms. The only time the virus might not be detected on a test (after you've contracted it) is if you've been tested too early.

Many people who test positive for herpes antibodies have no symptoms; often, they can't recall even a single outbreak.

HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately 1 out of 5 women) than in men (almost 1 out of 9). This may be because male-to-female transmission is easier than female-to-male transmission. HSV-2 infection is also more common in the black population and least common among Asians.

HSV-2 is more common in Sub-Saharan Africa than in Europe or the North America. Up to 82% of women and 53% of men in Sub-Saharan Africa are seropositive for HSV-2. These are the highest levels of HSV-2 infection in the world, although exact levels vary from country to country in this continent.

If the infection occurred very recently (within a few weeks to 3 months), the test may be negative, but you may still be infected. This is called a false negative. It can take up to 3 months after a possible herpes exposure for this test to be positive.

You may still have an HSV infection if your results were normal. It may mean the sample didn't have enough of the virus to be detected. If you still have symptoms of herpes, you may need to get tested again. Positive/Abnormal.

Meanwhile, the CDC and the US Preventive Services Task Force concur that the most widely available herpes test, called HerpeSelect, should not be used to screen asymptomatic people because of its high risk of false positives: Up to 1 in 2 positive tests could be false, according to the USPSTF's most recent guidelines.

The average number of outbreaks for a person with genital HSV-2 is four to five per year. The average for genital HSV-1 is less than one outbreak per year. Usually, there are more outbreaks during the first year, and many people find that outbreaks become less severe and less frequent with time.

How often do you shed with herpes? ›

For instance, one team found that females with recent HSV-2 genital infections shed virus on 28 percent of days on average. Males with recent HSV-2 genital infections, or a history of frequent herpes outbreaks, were found to shed virus on 32 percent of days on average. Other studies have had similar findings.

Remember that genital herpes is a lifelong disease.

Even though you may not have a genital herpes outbreak for long periods of time, you can still pass the virus to another person at any time. Talk with your doctor or nurse about how to prevent passing the virus to another person.

While people with asymptomatic herpes infections may not experience any symptoms, they can still spread the virus to other people through oral-to-oral or sexual contact. While the risk of virus transmission is lower in asymptomatic people, “shedding episodes” can still occur.

During 2015–2016, prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was 47.8%, and prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) was 11.9%. Prevalence of both HSV-1 and HSV-2 increased with age. Prevalence of both HSV-1 and HSV-2 was higher among females than males.

Worldwide, ∼90% of people have one or both viruses. HSV-1 is the more prevalent virus, with 65% of persons in the United States having antibodies to HSV-1 (Xu et al., 2002).

It is not possible to prevent all exposure to herpes simplex. The virus is common, and is not always transmitted via sexual contact. Many people who have HSV-1 do not even know they were exposed.

Herpes can remain dormant for years. In some cases, the infection may never show any symptoms. But you can still transmit herpes to others even if it is dormant, although the risk is lower. People with genital herpes may take viral suppression medication to reduce the risk of transmission to a sexual partner.