By Madhuri Dey
Mar 14, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the United States has concluded from a recent survey that a huge number of people in the country still continue to be inflicted by genital herpes, despite the fact that the rates of affliction of the disease has declined remarkably between the years 1980-90, and the rates have remained stable since then till now. A recent survey shows that despite this, the rate still remains alarmingly high, accounting for about $16 billion in the health care plan of the United States. This, despite the fact that the country has been taking serious steps to counter this venereal disease.

According to the estimates, the ones who are the most likely to be suffering from genital herpes are the black women, among whom the rate of affliction is alarming: reports indicate that on an average, almost one in every two women contracts genital herpes. In the other section of the American society, that is, among the fair-skinned population, the rate is not that much different either, with one out of every six resident being affected. This statistic refers only to the age group between 14 to 49, that is, sexually the most active age.

Interestingly, race and gender seems to play a significant role. About 12% of the Whites are affected by the disease, whereas the rate of affliction among the blacks is 39%. Overall, men seem to be less likely to contract the illness, only about 11.5%, as compared to 21% of women. The likeliest cause for this diversity is genetic differences. Alarmingly enough, about 8% of those suffering from the disease are not aware of it.