According to a Dec. 11 news release, approximately 846 million people aged between 15 and 49 are living with genital herpes infections. This statistic equates to more than 1 in 5 of this age-group globally found in new estimates released in a paper in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.
The news release said, “At least 1 person each second – 42 million people annually – is estimated to acquire a new genital herpes infection.”
Further, “Most of the time, these infections cause no or few symptoms. However, for some people they lead to painful genital sores and blisters that can recur throughout life, causing significant discomfort and often requiring multiple healthcare visits. According to the estimates, more than 200 million people aged 15 to 49 suffered at least one such symptomatic episode in 2020.”
The paper authors said that treatments and vaccines are needed to reduce adverse health effects of the herpes virus and control its spread.
There is no cure for herpes, currently.
“There are two types of the herpes simplex virus (HSV), known as HSV-1 and HSV-2, both of which can lead to genital herpes,” the release added. “According to the estimates, 520 million people in 2020 had genital HSV-2, which is transmitted during sexual activity. From a public health perspective, genital HSV-2 is more serious since it is substantially more likely to cause recurrent outbreaks, accounts for around 90% of symptomatic episodes, and is linked to a three-fold increased risk of getting HIV.”
HSV-1 mainly spreads during childhood through saliva or skin to skin contact around the mouth. In those without previous infection, HSV-1 can be acquired through sexual contact to cause genital infection in adolescence or adulthood.
In the year 2020, 376 million people were estimated to have had genital HSV-1 infections. Of these, 50 million are estimated also to have HSV-2.
The release stated “While the 2020 estimates show virtually no difference in the prevalence of genital HSV-2 compared to 2016, estimated genital HSV-1 infections are higher. Over recent years, several countries have observed changing patterns of transmission in HSV-1, with adult genital infections increasing as childhood oral infections decline. Reduced oral spread during childhood may be linked to factors like less crowded living conditions and improved hygiene, which then increases susceptibility to the virus at older ages. The authors note that these increases may also partially reflect changes in methods and additional data sources.”
Janette Wider | Editor-in-Chief
Janette Wider is Editor-in-Chief for Healthcare Purchasing News.
