Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), more commonly and less affectionately known as genital herpes, is one of the fastest growing sexually transmitted diseases today. It ranks just behind human papillomavirus (genital warts) and Chlamydia. The actual statistics are hard to pin down because unlike the other two diseases, most people with herpes don't know they have it!

So who's got herpes? Over 50 million Americans!

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that over 50 million Americans currently have genital herpes and as many as 1 million new people get it every year. That works out to about 114 new cases per hour. These statistics may actually be even higher. Evidence suggests that the majority of people infected with herpes are not aware of it. In a national household study referenced by the CDC, only 10 percent of the people who tested positive for the disease knew they were infected!

More Men than Women

Studies show that 1 in 5 women are infected, where as the rate is 1 in 4 for men.

Race Prevalence

Although quickly growing in the population of Caucasian Americans, currently their infection rate is over 17 percent. Rate of infection in the population of African Americans is over 45 percent.

In all 20% of the American population is infected with genital herpes. That's 1 in 5 persons age 12 and over.