Study: One-Fourth Of NYC Residents Have Herpes

Study: One-Fourth Of NYC Residents Have Herpes

wcbstv.com

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Now might be the time for New Yorkers to take advantage of the free condom campaign the city promotes. A new study by the city's Health Department found more than a quarter of adult residents are infected with the herpes virus.

According to the study, 26 percent of city residents have the virus that causes genital herpes, an incurable sexually-transmitted infection that can cause painful genital sores and can double a person's risk for HIV.

Nationally, 19 percent of the population has the infection, according to the department.

(visit the link for the full news article)

My god...when did herpes become so prevalant? I guess I may have had my head buried in the sand for awhile regarding STD's.

1 in 4 for NYC and 1 in 5 nationwide? I'm astounded to the point of disbelief. I have been under the impression that STD infections have been declining but apparently I have been mistaken.

wcbstv.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Ahhh....Herpes....The gift that keeps on giving!


See ya in hell!

Well -- at least it is not fatal. One bright note in an otherwise dull symphony of pain.

Maybe we should just take a plunge here, infect everyone.

Get past this right now.

Otherwise, I fear we are facing a protected group, and a whole slew of new entitlements. (I think I would rather have herpes.)

What are we really talking about here? Just some sore spots in some sensitive areas. Right?

They're not Herpes. They're called "freedom viruseses"

not suprising at all

HSV is very common

most people get it as a young child from either an uncle or aunt/ parent etc

from kissing a child or coming in contact with mouth to mouth or even just saliva

I don't mean to be rude in saying this, but the higher rate may coincide with the higher density of homosexuals. Men specifically. Most cities are probably higher than the national average, since urban areas are usually more tolerant. Particularly on the coasts I would imagine.

Originally posted by jackinthebox
I don't mean to be rude in saying this, but the higher rate may coincide with the higher density of homosexuals. Men specifically. Most cities are probably higher than the national average, since urban areas are usually more tolerant. Particularly on the coasts I would imagine.

yeah total ignoramous

i work in a hospital, i see more hetero HSV than gay

your assumption is wrong, completely

a virus is a virus

its like they say with HIV, it does not discriminate

its only purpose is to mulitply

Originally posted by jackinthebox
I don't mean to be rude in saying this, but the higher rate may coincide with the higher density of homosexuals. Men specifically. Most cities are probably higher than the national average, since urban areas are usually more tolerant. Particularly on the coasts I would imagine.

This study compared prevalence rates of most common sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in heterosexual and homosexual men who made respectively 12,201 and 5324 visits to an STD clinic over 18 months. Overall, homosexual men were significantly (p < 0.001) more likely than heterosexual men to have gonorrhea (30.31% vs. 19.83 %), early syphilis (1.08% vs. 0.34%) and anal warts (2.90% vs. 0.26%) but less likely to have nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) (14.63% vs. 36.40%, p < 0.001), herpes genitalis (0.93% vs. 3.65%, p < 0.001), pediculosis pubis (4.30% vs. 5.35%, p < 0.005), scabies (0.42% vs. 0.76%, p < 0.02), and genital warts (1.68% vs. 6.69%, p < 0.001).

What is wrong with you?

Originally posted by MurderCityDevil
yeah total ignoramous

You have strong feelings about this, I gather. Just a guess: you are heterosexual and you have HSV?

That would account for your passionate response.

Or am I an "ignoramous" also? (Probably.)

I didn't mean to be discriminatory. In what I have read, and from what I have seen of my own friends in the gay community, it just seems that there is a higher degree of unsafe sexual encounters and transmission of disease. In fact, that is one of the reasons some of my friends are extremely safe-sex oriented.

reply to post by Buck Division


hetero yes
HSV no

I have a great diverse group of friends

his generalizations toward the gay community upset me

honestly HSV is more uncomfortable than anything

some people can have it and never have out breaks

not that they are immune but there body keeps it under wraps of sorts

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
What is wrong with you?

Seriously, likelihood of catching any venereal disease has to be strictly a function of promiscuity, correct? I would guess that people in NYC really like having sex with a lot of different people.

I think Jack is just speculating with some measure of reason. Nothing wrong there as far as I can see.

Originally posted by jackinthebox
I didn't mean to be discriminatory. In what I have read, and from what I have seen of my own friends in the gay community, it just seems that there is a higher degree of unsafe sexual encounters and transmission of disease. In fact, that is one of the reasons some of my friends are extremely safe-sex oriented.

It's not a matter of discrimination, it's a matter of being lazy.
It took me 2min to look the stats up. (posted above)
Time well spent in order to avoid sounding ignorant.

It wasn't a "generalization" really. There was a big push by the Health Department in NY a few years ago. They were very concerned about some disease that was very prevelant in the gay male community, and had focused their effort there. I was thinking it might have been this disease. But maybe it was a different one. Either way, blame the city for generalizing I guess.

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
It's not a matter of discrimination, It took me 2min to look the stats up.(posted above) Time well spent.

Interesting stats too. I wonder why Herpes follows a different pattern that syphilis? Maybe something special about the way it is transmitted?

Really, I don't mean to joke about this. Like I said, it's good that it isn't fatal, but it is traumatic and painful. And it has a horrible stigma associated with it.

[edit on 10-6-2008 by Buck Division]

Originally posted by Buck Division

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
It's not a matter of discrimination, It took me 2min to look the stats up.(posted above) Time well spent.

Interesting stats too. I wonder why Herpes follows a different pattern that syphilis? Maybe something special about the way it is transmitted?

Really, I don't mean to joke about this. Like I said, it's good that it isn't fatal, but it is traumatic and painful. And it has a horrible stigma associated with it.

[edit on 10-6-2008 by Buck Division]

Where's a cultural anthropologist/PHD in infectious diseases when you need him?
I cant find my science pole!

Originally posted by MurderCityDevil
his generalizations toward the gay community upset me

I will agree with that 100% -- it is very easy to get into a mode where you start thinking that people deserve some illness because you don't like their behaviors.

It is human nature -- a pitfall -- and needs to be consciously avoided.

Working in a hospital, as you do, I appreciate your perspective on this -- you can directly see the consequences of illness that most of us don't ever see. So I appreciate your comments (took me a moment, sorry.)

reply to post by Buck Division


Good point. In case anyone missed it, certain types of sexual acts are more prone to infectious disease transmission than others. Regardless of sexual orientation, but of which act is likely to be more prevelant in the gay male community.

reply to post by Buck Division


Well, don't count me among those who maybe subconciously thinks anyone deserves it. If anything, I would be more concerned for any group that might, for whatever reason, be more likely to have troubles.