Youngsters at risk of getting genital herpes from oral sex

The World Health Organization (WHO) for the first time provided estimate on the global prevalence of herpes virus. As per the WHO, two-thirds of the world’s population under the age group of 50 years has this highly infectious virus that leads to cold sores around the mouth.

A WHO study has unveiled that over 3.7 billion people under the age group of 50 years have the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). And, 417 million people in the age group of 17 and 49 years have the other form of the disease, called HSV-2, which leads to genital herpes.

In the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a person can suffer from mouth ulcers. But with time, this type of infection is becoming a major reason for genital infection as well, especially in rich nations. Owing to improved hygiene level in affluent countries, HSV-1rate in childhood is on decline, leaving youngsters at increased of catching the virus due to oral sex.

HSV-2 can increase the risk of HIV. Sami Gottlieb, a WHO medical officer, 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, said that the US National Institutes of Health and companies are carrying out trials to find out if a preventative vaccine can be preferred. Earlier, the trials were stopped after the product was found not effective.