Statistics

• Approximately, 50 million people ages 12 and older are infected with genital herpes.
• Among the estimated 50 million Americans who have genital herpes, 90% don't know they have the disease.
• One out of five of the total adolescent and adult population is infected with genital herpes.
• Infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of five).
• Male-to-female transmission is more efficient than female-to-male transmission.
• Genital herpes infection also is more common among African Americans (45.9%) than among White Caucasian (17.6%).
• Since the late 1970s, the number of Americans with genital herpes infection has increased 30%.
• The largest increase of genital herpes is among young White teenagers.
• Genital herpes infection is now five times more common in 12- to 19-year-old Whites adolescents.
• Genital herpes is twice as common among young adults ages 20 to 29 than it was 20 years ago.