Side Effects of sex in the city

Young men and women in New York City need to be more cautious when it comes to their dating scene now. A recent survey conducted by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene stated that an alarming 26% of adult New Yorkers are effected with the virus that causes genital herpesdefine.

The prevalence of the condition is also a matter of concern, because it facilitates the spread of HIVdefine. HSV-2 can also be serious when transmitted to newborns, although these cases are rare.

The study published this month in the journal “Sexually Transmitted Disease”, is the first measurement against the city’s infection rate. The new study suggests that while STD’s are on the decline nationally, New York is way behind. Genital Herpesdefine effects more than 1/4th of adult New Yorkers. The rate is higher among women than men (36% versus 19%), higher among blacks than whites (49% versus 14%) and higher among men who have sex with men than those who don’t (32% versus 18%).

Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses. This can either be Type 1 or Type 2 but most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2.

Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. Transmission can occur from an infected partner who does not have a visible sore and may not know that he or she is infected.

Most individuals have only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. The signs typically appear as blisters on or around the genitals or rectumdefine. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always less severe and shorter than the first outbreak. Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tend to decrease over a period.

“Genital herpes alone will not cause serious problems for most people,” said Dr. Julia Schillinger, Director of Surveillance for the Health Department’s Bureau of STDdefine Prevention and Control and lead author of the study. “But some people will have painful genital sores and the infection fosters the spread of HIV. We advise New Yorkers to protect themselves and others. Using condoms consistently will help avoid getting or spreading genital herpes.”

Preventive measures are necessary as there is no treatment that can cure herpes. Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of genital herpes. Antiviral medications can shorten and prevent outbreaks during the period of time the person takes these medications. In addition, daily suppressive therapy for symptomatic herpes can reduce transmission to partners.

A genital herpes diagnosis can be overwhelming. People feel ashamed because of the stigma the infection carries. If infected with genital sores, see a health care provider for an evaluation. The Health Department’s STD clinics offer free and confidential herpes testing for people who have sores. New Yorkers can call 311 for clinic locations and hours of operation.

Genital herpes isn’t the only risk facing sexually active New Yorkers. The Health Department received more than 65,000 reports of sexually transmitted infection in 2007 alone. Rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia and infectious syphilis are above the national average and as the Health Department reported last fall, HIV infection is increasing among young men who have sex with men.