June 9 (Bloomberg) – More than one in four New Yorkers were infected with genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease that can cause sores and increase
the spread of HIV, as of 2004, according to the city's first measurement of the virus.
About 26 percent of New Yorkers carried the virus compared with the national average of 19 percent, the New York City Health Department said today in a
statement.
The rate was higher among women than men – 36 percent versus 19 percent, and higher among blacks than whites – 49 percent versus 14 percent, the city
said.
Most people infected with the herpes virus have little or no symptoms because their bodies are able to fight it off. The symptoms include blisters in or
around the genitals that can break and leave sores that take weeks to heal. Herpes can make people more susceptible to HIV and those carrying the AIDS
virus more infectious, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 45 million American carry the herpes virus, the CDC says.
``Genital herpes alone will not cause serious problems for most people, but some people will have painful genital sores and the infection fosters the spread
of HIV,'' said Julia Schillinger, the lead author of the study and director of surveillance for the health department's bureau of sexually transmitted
diseases prevention and control, in a statement.
The findings were collected in 2004 from interviews and medical exams of 1,784 New Yorkers as part of the city's Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The findings, the first measurement of the city's genital herpes infection rate, were published today in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
New York City, with
19.3 million residents,
received 65,000 reports of sexually transmitted diseases in 2007. The city said it has given out 48 million free condoms since 2007 to help curb infections.
The survey also found the rate of infection was higher among men who had sex with other men than those who didn't – 32 percent compared with 18 percent.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=a4PdkN5fg8E8&refer=home
the spread of HIV, as of 2004, according to the city's first measurement of the virus.
About 26 percent of New Yorkers carried the virus compared with the national average of 19 percent, the New York City Health Department said today in a
statement.
The rate was higher among women than men – 36 percent versus 19 percent, and higher among blacks than whites – 49 percent versus 14 percent, the city
said.
Most people infected with the herpes virus have little or no symptoms because their bodies are able to fight it off. The symptoms include blisters in or
around the genitals that can break and leave sores that take weeks to heal. Herpes can make people more susceptible to HIV and those carrying the AIDS
virus more infectious, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 45 million American carry the herpes virus, the CDC says.
``Genital herpes alone will not cause serious problems for most people, but some people will have painful genital sores and the infection fosters the spread
of HIV,'' said Julia Schillinger, the lead author of the study and director of surveillance for the health department's bureau of sexually transmitted
diseases prevention and control, in a statement.
The findings were collected in 2004 from interviews and medical exams of 1,784 New Yorkers as part of the city's Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The findings, the first measurement of the city's genital herpes infection rate, were published today in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
New York City, with
19.3 million residents,
received 65,000 reports of sexually transmitted diseases in 2007. The city said it has given out 48 million free condoms since 2007 to help curb infections.
The survey also found the rate of infection was higher among men who had sex with other men than those who didn't – 32 percent compared with 18 percent.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=a4PdkN5fg8E8&refer=home
