U.S. herpes rates remain high - CDC
Tue Mar 9, 2010 2:43pm EST
Related News
a.. U.S. herpes rates remain high: CDC
Tue, Mar 9 2010
*1 in 6 Americans infected with herpes

*Highest rates found among blacks, women

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - About 16 percent of Americans between the
ages of 14 and 49 are infected with genital herpes, making it one of the
most common sexually transmitted diseases, U.S. health officials said on
Tuesday.

Black women had the highest rate of infection at 48 percent and women were
nearly twice likely as men to be infected, according to an analysis by the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 21 percent of women were infected with genital herpes, compared to
only 11.5 percent of men, while 39 percent of blacks were infected compared
to about 12 percent for whites, the CDC said.

There is no cure for genital herpes, or herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2),
which can cause recurrent and painful genital sores and also increases the
likelihood of acquiring and transmitting the AIDS virus. It is related to
herpes simplex virus 1, or oral herpes, which causes cold sores.

Several drugs are available to treat herpes symptoms and outbreaks,
including acyclovir, which is available generically or under the Zovirax
brand name, and valacyclovir, known generically as Valtrex -- both made by
GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.L). Ganciclovir, sold as Zirgan, is made by
privately-held Sirion Therapeutics, Inc.

The CDC estimates that more than 80 percent of people with genital herpes do
not know they are infected.

"The message is herpes is quite common. The symptoms can be often very
innocuous," Dr. John Douglas of the CDC said in a teleconference.

"Because herpes is so prevalent it becomes ... a really important reason to
use condoms on a consistent and correct basis with all of your partners,"
Douglas said.

Douglas said the increased rate of infection in blacks is not do to
increased risk behavior but likely due to biological factors that make women
more susceptible as well as the higher rate of infection within black
communities.

The CDC estimates that there are 19 million new sexually transmitted disease
infections every year in the United States, costing the health care system
about $16 billion annually.

Breakfast: 3 Boston Cream Donuts from River City Donuts.

"Van" > wrote in message
...
> U.S. herpes rates remain high - CDC
> Tue Mar 9, 2010 2:43pm EST
> Related News
> a.. U.S. herpes rates remain high: CDC
> Tue, Mar 9 2010
> *1 in 6 Americans infected with herpes
>
> *Highest rates found among blacks, women
>
> WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - About 16 percent of Americans between the
> ages of 14 and 49 are infected with genital herpes, making it one of the
> most common sexually transmitted diseases, U.S. health officials said on
> Tuesday.
>
> Black women had the highest rate of infection at 48 percent and women were
> nearly twice likely as men to be infected, according to an analysis by the
> U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
>
> About 21 percent of women were infected with genital herpes, compared to
> only 11.5 percent of men, while 39 percent of blacks were infected
> compared to about 12 percent for whites, the CDC said.
>
> There is no cure for genital herpes, or herpes simplex virus type 2
> (HSV-2), which can cause recurrent and painful genital sores and also
> increases the likelihood of acquiring and transmitting the AIDS virus. It
> is related to herpes simplex virus 1, or oral herpes, which causes cold
> sores.
>
> Several drugs are available to treat herpes symptoms and outbreaks,
> including acyclovir, which is available generically or under the Zovirax
> brand name, and valacyclovir, known generically as Valtrex -- both made by
> GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.L). Ganciclovir, sold as Zirgan, is made by
> privately-held Sirion Therapeutics, Inc.
>
> The CDC estimates that more than 80 percent of people with genital herpes
> do not know they are infected.
>
> "The message is herpes is quite common. The symptoms can be often very
> innocuous," Dr. John Douglas of the CDC said in a teleconference.
>
> "Because herpes is so prevalent it becomes ... a really important reason
> to use condoms on a consistent and correct basis with all of your
> partners," Douglas said.
>
> Douglas said the increased rate of infection in blacks is not do to
> increased risk behavior but likely due to biological factors that make
> women more susceptible as well as the higher rate of infection within
> black communities.
>
> The CDC estimates that there are 19 million new sexually transmitted
> disease infections every year in the United States, costing the health
> care system about $16 billion annually.

Thank you for sharing that delicious tidbit.

On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:34:41 -0800, Steve B wrote:

> Thank you for sharing that delicious tidbit.

Thanks to you for quoting all 60 lines just to add a "Thank you".

-sw

On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:30:12 GMT, Janet Baraclough wrote:

> The message >
> from Sqwertz > contains these words:
>
>> Breakfast: 3 Boston Cream Donuts from River City Donuts.
>
> You know its a bad thread when someone starts channeling Andy.

I thought oozing Boston Cream donuts would fit right in a with a
herpes episode.

-sw

On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:30:12 GMT, Janet Baraclough wrote:

> The message >
> from Sqwertz > contains these words:
>
>> Breakfast: 3 Boston Cream Donuts from River City Donuts.
>
> You know its a bad thread when someone starts channeling Andy.
>
> Janet

channeling andy as the result of a sexually transmitted disease sounds
about right.

your pal,
blake