And it’s only a matter of time before they infect the other third….
More than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 – or 67% of the population – are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) [which] is also an important cause of genital herpes…
[E]stimates reveal that over half a billion people between the ages of 15-49 years have genital infection caused by either HSV-1 or HSV-2.
(World Health Organization, October 28, 2015)
Granted, this is not the death scare Ebola or HIV triggers – as the AIDS mystery that has all of Hollywood in morbid suspense today attests:
Hollywood is ‘gripped with fear’ after a womanizing Tinseltown A-Lister has been diagnosed positive for HIV — panicking his long list of sexual partners, according to a published report…
The actor’s list of exes includes ‘an award-winning actress, a religious movie star, a top Hollywood personality with a controversial past, a TV star, a media personality and a glamour model.’
(New York Post, November 11, 2015)
Still, the prevalence of this less deadly but very irritating and unsightly virus should cause anyone who is sexually active to think twice about engaging in any kind of unprotected sex.
Here, according to the WHO, is how frequently this scourge rears its ugly head in select regions around the world:
- Americas: 178 million women (49%), 142 million men (39%)
- Africa: 350 million women (87%), 355 million men (87%)
- Eastern Mediterranean: 188 million women (75%), 202 million men (75%)
- Europe: 207 million women (69%), 187 million men (61%)
- South-East Asia: 432 million women (59%), 458 million men (58%)
- Western Pacific: 488 million women (74%), 521 million men (73%)
So beware … take care!
Legacy Note: With over 5,600 posts spanning 20 years, I am easily the most prolific blogger on the most eclectic array of topics on the web. That makes The iPINIONS Journal an unparalleled archive of informed political and cultural commentary. Visit the ARCHIVES section in the sidebar or search by topic. You won’t find a more consistent, independent voice on world affairs.