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Genital herpes may not get the attention afforded to other STDs, but individuals are actually much more likely to receive a positive herpes 2 test than they are to contract some more commonly recognized infections. However, understanding risk factors associated with the condition may help individuals protect themselves.... Full Story

Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that young people account for more than half of positive STD tests in the U.S., cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes and syphilis in the elderly have doubled in the past 10 years.

In an article from the Texas-based news outlet the Eagle, it is speculated that this trend has been the result of relatively new technological advances such as erectile dysfunction treatments and online dating.

Meanwhile, a study published earlier this year in the Student British Medical Journal said that 80 percent of individuals as old as 90 have not abandoned their sex lives.

"You never have to retire from sex, but you should always behave as the 20-to-30 year-olds do. You need to be cautious about it. They [seniors] just don't think it can happen to them. STDs really started making news in the '80s and '90s. The fears and the warnings didn't hit their generation," said clinical psychologist Judy Kuriansky, quoted by CNN.

The Mayo Clinic says individuals should contact a medical professional to determine which STD tests are right for them.

A study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology reveals that the immune system may have greater trouble controlling the herpes group cytomegalovirus (CMV) and preventing breakouts when it has to combat other viral or bacterial infections as well.

The researchers looked at a group of mice with latent herpes, and they observed that when the mice had a bacterial infection, their T-cells, or the "brakes", which control the CMV outbreaks, decreased in number.

"Because almost all people are infected by one or more herpes family viruses during their lifetime, the potential impact of these findings are significant," said research author Charles H. Cook, M.D., FACS, FCCM, director of surgical critical care at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "We hope that by understanding how these latent viral infections are controlled that we can prevent reactivation events and improve people's lives."

Genital herpes statistics and transmission... Full Story