Quote:
Originally Posted by muthu_curry
been reading up on this thread
herpes sounds contagious
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Herpes is very contagious. That's the reason why approx 80% of the population is infected by the time they reach adulthood even if they have never indulged in any risky sexual practices.
http://pedsinreview.aappublications..../4/119.extract
INTRODUCTION
HSV causes a contagious infection that affects approximately
60% to 95% of adults worldwide. HSV1 and HSV2 primarily infect human populations. HSV1 is associated chiefly with infections of the mouth, pharynx, face, eye, and central nervous system (CNS), and HSV2 is associated primarily with infections of the anogenital region, although both serotypes may infect any area. (1)
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Most adults are infected with HSV and carry latent viruses, but the serotype, severity of symptoms, and mode of transmission vary with age. Children are infected primarily with orolabial HSV1
by 5 years of age, with infection rates of 33% in populations that are of lower socioeconomic status and 20% in those who have improved socioeconomic status.
By adulthood, HSV1 affects
70% to 80% in the lower socioeconomic population and
40% to 60% in the higher socioeconomic population. (1) Globally, the prevalence of HSV1 increases consistently with age, reaching
40% by age 15 years and increasing to
60% to 90% in older adults. (2) In the United States, the prevalence of HSV1 increases consistently with age, from
26.3% in 6- to 7-year-old children and
36.1% in 12- to 13-year-old children to
90% among those older than 70 years. (2)(3)