This is a topic I've been wanting to talk about for quite a while. Genital Herpes is caused by two separate viruses, HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV stands for Herpes Simplex Virus. It is estimated that almost 20% of individuals aged 12 or older in this country are seropositive (blood test positive) for HSV-2. I've heard much higher figures quoted for adults in this country. I've been around long enough to remember that back in the early 1970's, there were experts prognosticating that a vaccine would be found for the prevention and maybe cure of this incapacitating and sometimes lethal virus. Well, it's 2007 and where is it? We have several drugs that do work for suppression and treatment of the outbreaks, but there is no vaccine for prevention or cure. Please visit this CDC site on Genital Herpes for more detailed information. Doc
