Rates of Genital Herpes Infection High

Genital herpes, or HSV-2, is one of the most common sexually transmitted disease in the US. New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show an overall infection rate of 16 percent for people between the ages of 14 and 49.
The rates are not evenly distributed across the population, though. Women have almost twice the rate of men, and African-American women have the highest rate of all. Nearly half are infected. Most of the people who carry the virus, about four-fifths, do not know it. When herpes is diagnosed antiviral drugs such as Valtrex or Zovirax can be used to treat the symptoms. Conscientious use of condoms can reduce the risk of transmission.