Genital herpes (herpes genitalis) is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a strain of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Genital herpes invades the body through mucous membranes, also known as small breaks in the skin.
Description
Genital herpes is characterized by pain, itching, and sores (i.e., blister-like lesions) in the genital areas of the body, including the male penis or scrotum, the female labia or vagina, or the urethra, anus, upper thighs, groin, or buttocks. Herpes simplex virus appears in two recognized forms: HSV type 1 and HSV type 2. Previously, it was believed that HSV type 1 only affected the upper body and the face, especially the mouth, appearing often as cold sores. HSV type 2 was believed to be the infecting organism in genital HSV infections. By 2001, it became known that either HSV type can cause infections in either area of the body (i.e., 15% of all genital herpes infections are caused by HSV type 1, and are believed to be the result of oral-to-genital contact). It is not spread by objects (e.g., toilet seat or doorknob), swimming pools, hot tubs, or through the air.
Herpes viruses are not new to the modern medicine. The name is derived from the Greek adjective, herpestes, which means "creeping," and refers to the serpent-like pattern often formed by the waterblisters (vesicles) of genital herpes. Other members of the herpes virus family share similar traits, also infecting human beings. These traits include varicella zoster virus, the source of both chicken pox and shingles. Epstein-Barr virus, another member of the herpes virus family, is the cause of mononucleosis.
As of 2000, in the United States, there are 45 million adolescents and adults infected with HSV infection. Genital herpes is slightly more common in women, possibly because male-to-female transmission of the virus is more effective; it attacks one out of every four women. In contrast, one out of every five men contract genital herpes, and a greater percentage of black versus white males(i.e., 45.9% vs. 17.6%, respectively) become infected with the virus. According to the web site of the Centers for Disease Control, race and ethnicity in the United States are frequently associated with poverty, access to quality health care, whether health care is sought, illicit drug use, and life in communities with high incidences of STDs. Therefore, it is not surprising that HSV 2 infections are more prevalent among African-Americans(45.9%) than European-Americans (17.6%). Among teenagers, the incidence of genital herpes infections has risen steadily, at 30%, since 1970. That increase, five times higher than it was 20 years ago, is most dramatic among white teenagers in the 12–19. Young adults between the ages of 20 and 29 are now twice as likely to have HSV 2 as they were previously.
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