Study: One-Fourth Of NYC Residents Have Herpes

Originally posted by uplander
reply to post by jackinthebox

 

I have a few gay friends, mainly from work. The men are afraid to act sick for fear of being stigmatized, so to prove that they're "clean" they engage in all kinds of horribly risky behaviors. I swear, they really scare me.
There's no telling what's raging through the veins of people these days.

So how would everyone feel about mandatory periodic testing? It certainly would remove "accidental" spreading of diseases.

p.s. around 75% of people are thought to have HPV, which like herpes, can be spread even when a condom is worn.

reply to post by Sparky63


Well, maybe 21 is the cutoff. Kidding.

Seriously though. A friend of mine that I grew up with practiced abstinence until he was 27. It really did affect him mentally over the years. He took on a weird, creepy, stalker mentality at times. Now he has all sorts of problems with his sexual identity and bizarre sexual practices. Not to mention his addiction to them.

Another friend of mine who couldn't get laid turned out to be a stalker and borderline rapist.

Then there are the Catholic priests. Abstinence hasn't worked out so well for them.



[edit on 6/10/0808 by jackinthebox]

Originally posted by jackinthebox
reply to post by Sparky63

 

Well, maybe 21 is the cutoff. Kidding.

Seriously though. A friend of mine that I grew up with practiced abstinence until he was 27. It really did affect him mentally over the years. He took on a weird, creepy, stalker mentality at times. Now he has all sorts of problems with his sexual identity and bizarre sexual practices. Not to mention his addiction to them.

Another friend of mine who couldn't get laid turned out to be a stalker and borderline rapist.

Then there are the Catholic priests. Abstinence hasn't worked out so well for them.



[edit on 6/10/0808 by jackinthebox]

I think this has more to do with the fact that our society is absolutely inundated with sex, than it does with biological drive to procreate. According to media and advertising, if you're not oversexed you must not be happy/cool/satisfied/whatever. Perhaps if sex weren't promoted as the ultimate goal of everyone aged 15-50 people wouldn't feel so driven to do it at any cost. I think it's more of advertising, peer pressure and underlying emotional issues that drive promiscuous activity than libido.



[edit on 6/10/2008 by sc2099]

I find it interesting that in this day and age, those that try to live their lives by the Bibles standards are considered by many to be mentally ill. Not surprising, but interesting, nonetheless.

It reminds me of
(Isaiah 5:20-21) 20 Woe to those who are saying that good is bad and bad is good, those who are putting darkness for light and light for darkness, those who are putting bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those wise in their own eyes and discreet even in front of their own faces!

Unfortunately, the tragic consequences of this "new morality", or lack thereof, are all around us—broken marriages and families, drug and alcohol abuse, violent youth gangs, promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, to name but a few.

Regarding the huge increasin in STD's I think the problem lies in the fact that society continues to view this merely as a medical issue and not a moral problem.

I'll climb down off my soapbox now and fade into the shadows.
I fear this is just another symptom of the decline of western civilization.

Originally posted by Maxmars

It should say "1/4th of all NYC residents 'interviewed or examined' have herpes." - I know they didn't ask anyone I am aware of.

Also note that despite their claims of the variation of the infection rate over time, this was the first time they've measured herpes.

It changes the story a bit no?

Who are "they?" in the sentence, "this is the first time "they" have measured Herpes?" If you check with the CDC sites, they have been keeping track of the rate of Herpes infection for quite a long time.

While statistics is not an exact science, it is pretty reliable when done well. Here is a paper from Oxford that describes the method used to determine the prevalence of Herpes in the population. Note that they used THREE models, and arrived a very similar results.

While their methodology does change the story a bit, since surveying people was the method, (thus those people had to KNOW they had herpes) the fact that you can have it and NOT know it actually means that the percentage of the population estimated to have it may be on the low side of the truth.

Originally posted by Sparky63


I'll climb down off my soapbox now and fade into the shadows.
I fear this is just another symptom of the decline of western civilization.

First the judgement, then the sermon, and inevitably the guilt as the closer.
Perfect!

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


My comment was not so much about the methodology as the population. Did the surveyors ask everyone in NYC? Doubtful obviously. Could we know anything about the demographic that might be significant - LOTS.

Age, income level, locality, profession..., all of which factors in to give a more meaningful 'headline' than "Don't go to NYC - every fourth person you meet is has VD."

Interestingly, you mention the CDC study, which did NOT give rise to the headline as we see it here.

Originally posted by son of PC
I hope the infected are getting some kind of medical help. I read somewhere that many infected people have more than one std. If this is true, then there would seem to be some urgency in getting proper healthcare. Also, please use a condom.

if its an infection of a virus

there really is no help

antibiotics do nothing for virus's

Originally posted by sc2099

So how would everyone feel about mandatory periodic testing? It certainly would remove "accidental" spreading of diseases.

I dont think it would. Uninfected people would still knowingly have sex with infected people thinking "I wont get it," people would still lie about being infected, or neglect to mention it. (unless we made them wear a scarlet "H") People with the cold sore version would still kiss their children when they were asymptomatic but shedding virus. (Or have oral sex and potentially spread the herpes simplex 1 to their partners mouth/genitals)

I think all mandatory testing would do is give the scientists better data, and allow the government the right to force "searches" of your physical person for a relatively harmless reason, and stigmatize and traumatize a bunch of people. We have co-existed with this virus for a long, long time.

I think the BEST way to get a handle on the virus is to de-stigmatize it, (like the cold sore version is) so that people arent so afraid to discuss it with their partner or doctor that they go into denial mode and do nothing to limit their spreading of it.

reply to post by Maxmars


Well the paper on methodology seemed to indicate that they did indeed try to take samples of statistically sufficient size from different segments of the population. It does seem that they considered the income, gender, class, age issue.

Although the OP does not say anything about that, the CDC seems to be saying in their data, that that "one in four" number seems pretty consistent across the country. A better title change for the thread might be "One in four Americans is infected with either Herpes simplex 1 or 2."

Edit to add; No, the CDC study was not the source of the originial post. But, as I tend to do, once I saw the topic I then went and confirmed the information that interested me with agencies and institutions that are know to be pretty darn reliable. I dont usually stop with the information presented to me, by now I have read six or more studies on Herpes in the population and now also that paper on methodology.

The most unfair thing about the title or headline is that it makes New Yorkers look unique in their infection rate, when the CDC and other studies say that is the infection rate pretty consistently across the country.

[edit on 10-6-2008 by Illusionsaregrander]

Yeeeeesh. Being from the outer NYC area I'm glad to say I wore a condom without fail whenever getting it on with a one night stand and long term gf's. Glad to not be in that 25%


heck wasn't it Derek Jeter that gave the herp to Jessica Alba?

[edit on 10-6-2008 by merryxmas]

Originally posted by sc2099
So how would everyone feel about mandatory periodic testing? It certainly would remove "accidental" spreading of diseases.

p.s. around 75% of people are thought to have HPV, which like herpes, can be spread even when a condom is worn.

I would not feel AT ALL comfortable with ANY kind of mandatory testing. I want less government in my life not more. You do something like that even though it may sound innocuous and you are opening the floodgate for more kinds of mandatory "tests".

Originally posted by Buck Division

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 think the word to describe the response is COMPASSIONATE.
And they are right when they said disease is non-discriminatory.

What is your excuse?

first of all, it says 26 percent of new yorkers have the disease that CAN cause genital herpes.
second of all, dont get caught up in the propaganda filled world of statistics. listening to commercials and reading signs would have you think that your gonna catch hiv anytime now.
man, this is so sad. if you check for the numbers that they do have, and do some basic math, you will find that a very small amount of people have your clap, ghono, herpes, hiv, etc..
yeah yeah, these are only the ones they tested, or whatever, but im sure you can assume that a majority of people are not infected with some deadly std, and are completely unaware of it, and theyre ready to give it to you.
i chop most of this fear mongering # up to bull.

protetect yourself, yes, but dont think that you will be walking around with clap completely oblivious about it, with no symptoms, and dont think that a mistake here and there is going to give you hiv. # happens, yes, but please dont read to deep into this type of stuff. use your f@#$%^& brains for christ sake. even if they tested everyone in the country, they would probably find out that a majority of people are clean and good to go. hell, it may help come up with a cure, im sure someone has a natural immunity to this stuff.

anyone i have known that has contracted the clap, crabs, ghono, was very aware of it quickly, and dont think that every symptom similar to an std, is a freaking std. you think you know, but you have no idea. its like someone trying to say there is no water on the planet, but has never left his dry town in arizona. how would you know if you dont know. you might just have kidney stones, or a pimple, or an ingrown hair, or a urinary tract infection. hell, you may go to the doctors and get misdiagnosed, and you really didnt have anything, they just gave you some "jam" and sent you on your way, and you felt better when you pissed in a couple days.

im just saying, i can throw out hypothetical stuff all day, but at the end of the day, dont get to caught up in this headline garbage. please. for christ sake be safe, but dont live in fear all your life because your stupid, and you think you need the smart people to tell you whats going on in the world.

excuse any grammar errors and stuff, quick post on the run.

Take a look at the rates of infections for STDs when broken out by gender. It may surprise you.

(Here's a hint: It looks like the "women's lib" movement made it possible for women to get back into the harems.)

reply to post by sc2099


I am not for any sort of censorship, but I do think you raise a valid concern. Particulalry among young people who are trying to grow up too fast. It's not "cool" to be a virgin. Particulalry among the guys. Not only do people feel the need to look cool in front of their friends, but there is the whole "what's wrong with me?" syndrome if you aren't attracting the opposite sex. No one wants to feel un-loved.

I hate to break it to you folks, but wearing a condom will only Slightly decrease your risk in contracting HSV. There are many types and many ways to get it, and so many people have it and don't even know it? Little sores in your mouth that flare up? Probably HSV-1, don't worry you are not alone--

Originally posted by jackinthebox
reply to post by Sparky63

 

Well, maybe 21 is the cutoff. Kidding.

Seriously though. A friend of mine that I grew up with practiced abstinence until he was 27. It really did affect him mentally over the years. He took on a weird, creepy, stalker mentality at times. Now he has all sorts of problems with his sexual identity and bizarre sexual practices. Not to mention his addiction to them.

Another friend of mine who couldn't get laid turned out to be a stalker and borderline rapist.

Then there are the Catholic priests. Abstinence hasn't worked out so well for them.



[edit on 6/10/0808 by jackinthebox]

I beg to differ on all points. In fact, the creepiest guys I have ever known (not been with - but known)...the most clingy and sick and twisted guys did not remain virgins until later in age. They in fact were guys who had sex very early on....and many had obsessions with porn.

Remaining a virgin until later in life does NOT equal mental instability or psycho problems in life. Obviously the same could be said about promiscuous guys (and gals).

People with mental issues have way more problems then whether or not they remained a virigin for a long time.

So either your observation is correct or mine is....or we are both wrong

[edit on 10-6-2008 by greeneyedleo]

And im not sure if this was mentioned already....as I scanned over all the responses....but did you read this in the report:

The study was the city's first measurement of those infected with the virus. Herpes is not the only STD above the national rate in New York City. Rates of Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and infectious syphilis were also higher than the national rate.

Note to self: Never hook up with anyone from New York j/k

It seems to me that the pill is the cause of all this. Women have taken to the pill as if it were a fix all contraceptive. They concentrate on pregnancy being the worst outcome of sex. The other causes will be sexual liberation, what i mean by this is the increasing prevelance of the enjoyment of sex, this often means oral sex.

I'm pretty promiscuous so i'm not saing we should give up sex here, just educate ourselves more and take the risks seriously.

Maybe new york needs a sex ed lesson.