A million more Americans will be added to the already infected 50 million by the end of the year. Ten years ago, Ken joined their ranks. I was shocked when I was first diagnosed with genital herpes. Doctors said that the initial shock often turns to panic.
Many patients are in heavy-duty denial about their disease.
Doctors said that what's even more disturbing is that a recent survey found that 90 percent of those with genital herpes aren't aware that they have it, and 65 percent of people aren't concerned at all with contracting the disease. Denial and indifference put others at risk. People don't want to talk about it. Herpes is managed by treatments called suppressive therapy, which can reduce the number of painful outbreaks. The ASHA's hotline gets calls from people like Ken every day.