Genital Herpes Statistics

Genital Herpes -- Information on Genital Herpes

Genital Herpes Statistics: An Overview

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by either the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-2 is the more common cause, estimated to be responsible for up to 80 percent of genital herpes cases.

Results of a nationally representative study show that genital herpes infection is common in the United States. Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older have had a genital herpes infection. This represents almost one in five adolescents and adults.

Some other statistics on genital herpes include the following:

Between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, the number of Americans with genital herpes increased by 30 percent.
Genital herpes infection with HSV-2 is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of five). This may be due to male-to-female transmissions being more likely than female-to-male transmission.
It is estimated that each year 500,000 to 1,000,000 new infections occur.
Herpes research studies show that most people with genital herpes do not realize they are infected; they either have never had any symptoms or have not recognized their symptoms as herpes.

Table 1. Genital Herpes -- Initial visits to physicians' offices, National Disease and Therapeutic Index: United States, 1966–2005

Year	Genital Herpes	Year	Genital Herpes
1966	19,000	1986	136,000
1967	15,000	1987	102,000
1968	16,000	1988	163,000
1969	15,000	1989	148,000
1970	17,000	1990	172,000
1971	49,000	1991	235,000
1972	26,000	1992	139,000
1973	51,000	1993	172,000
1974	75,000	1994	142,000
1975	36,000	1995	160,000
1976	57,000	1996	208,000
1977	116,000	1997	176,000
1978	76,000	1998	188,000
1979	83,000	1999	224,000
1980	57,000	2000	179,000
1981	133,000	2001	157,000
1982	134,000	2002	216,000
1983	106,000	2003	203,000
1984	157,000	2004	269,000
1985	124,000	2005	266,000

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)