Herpes Statistics

It is overwhelming the number of people that do not realize just how strong the genital herpes statistics are. Genital herpes is a very common virus that is affecting a large number of the adult population these days.

In a recent study to gather genital herpes statistics, a nationally representative study show that genital herpes infection is very common in the United States. Nationwide, 45 million people ages 12 and older, or one out of five (possibly as many as 1 in 4) of the total adolescent and adult population, are infected with HSV-2.

When taking genital herpes statistics into account, look around you at any given time and recognize based on the genital herpes statistics just how many people are likely to have the virus.

HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of five). This is according to the same genital herpes statistics research. This may be due to male-to-female transmission being more efficient than female-to-male transmission.

HSV-2 infection has also been found to be more common in blacks (45.9%) than in whites (17.6%). Race and ethnicity in the United States correlate with other, more fundamental determinants of health such as poverty, access to good quality health care, behavior for seeking health care, illicit drug use, and living in communities with a high prevalence of STDs.

Ongoing genital herpes statistics research since the late 1970s, indicate the number of Americans with genital herpes infection has increased 30%. The largest increase is currently occurring in young white teens. HSV-2 infection is now five times more common in 12- to 19-year-old whites, and it is twice as common in young adults ages 20 to 29 than it was 20 years ago.