Herpes alive and well

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 20

Herpes alive and well

PA Wellington Remember herpes? . Three years ago genital herpes was the venereal disease everyone seemed to be talking about.

The incurable disease even reached the cover of “Time” magazine, as an Australia doctor warned, “We will all have it by the end of the century.” Three years on, herpes has been overshadowed by the more frightening affliction, A.I.D.S. But the official diagnosis from the Health Department is that herpes is alive and well, though not exactly the scourge it was once made out to be.

The department’s head of disease prevention, Dr John Clements, said 968 new herpes cases were reported at hospital clinics for sexually transmitted diseases last year — a similar number to the previous two years, but up from 600 in 1979.

Dr Clements said the actual number of new cases was probably double because many sufferers would have gone to their own doctor, rather than a clinic.

“In terms of public health it is not of major importance because it does not have the deadly effects, that untreated gonorrhea and syphilis do,” he said. “But for the individual sufferer it can have enormously damaging effects on their health and psyche.” The genital herpes virus is similar to the one which causes cold sores. Once a person has caught the disease the lesions and sores may occasionally reappear — stress and worry have been linked to recurrent attacks.

Dr Clements said a person could reduce the risk of catching herpes by taking heed of the same health messages advocated for other sexually transmitted diseases, including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

This included limiting the number of sexual partners, and using condoms during sex.

However, the condom did not provide complete protection against herpes as the virus could be spread through skin contact round the genital area, be said.