Why YOU'RE likely to have herpes

29.05.2020 02:07

Two-thirds of people globally have the highly infectious herpes virus, according to new figures from the World Health Organisation.

More than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 suffer from the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores around the mouth.

And another 417 million people aged 17 to 49 have the other form of the disease, HSV-2, which is associated with causing sores around the genitals.

This is the first time the World Health Organisation has estimated the global prevalence of the disease.

Though both viruses can cause genital herpes, until now, HSV-2 has traditionally been thought of as more likely to.

However, the WHO reports the HSV-1 virus is now increasingly causing genital sores too, mainly in rich countries.

This is because improved hygiene has lowered infection rates in childhood, leaving young people more at risk of catching it through oral sex when they become sexually active.

Most people who are infected with the herpes virus never develop signs and symptoms.

The virus may lie dormant for years and the recurrence of sores triggered by a virus, hormonal changes, stress, fatigue or changes in the immune system.

Currently, there is no cure for the virus.

Most people contract HSV-1 in childhood, through skin-to-skin contact with an infected adult.

It is transmitted through secretions or sores on the skin and can be spread through touching, kissing, or sharing objects such as razors, towels, toothbrushes or cutlery.

HSV-2 is usually transmitted sexually and can increase the risk of catching and spreading HIV, the disease that causes AIDS.

Little is known about any link between HSV-1 and HIV/AIDS, although it can lead to other serious complications such as encephalitis, a serious illness causing inflammation of the brain.

Sammi Gottlieb, a WHO medical officer called for a vaccine against herpes to be developed urgently.

She said: 'We really need to accelerate the development of vaccines against herpes simplex virus, and if a vaccine designed to prevent HSV-2 infection also prevented HSV-1, it would have far reaching benefits.'

Nathalie Broutet, also a WHO medical officer, added the U.S. National Institutes of Health and companies including GlaxoSmithKline Plc were involved in trials to determine whether a therapeutic or preventative vaccine was preferable.

Ms Gottlieb said GSK had previously abandoned a vaccine trial after finding the product was not effective against HSV-2, although it did show some efficacy against HSV-1.

'That was interesting and promising and gave a proof of concept that these vaccines can be developed.

'There's a lot of work ongoing and we're hopeful that we'll have an HSV vaccine in the future,' she said.

(dailymail.co.uk)

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