There's a reasonably good chance you've got herpes, says WHO

Ever had a mouth ulcer? Congratulations, you've got herpes.

The World Health Organisation, when it's not ruining bacon and pork products for everyone, has now estimated that a whopping 3.7 BILLION people in the world now carry the Herpes Simplex virus, known as HSV-1.

The virus, which manifests itself as either mouth ulcers or in more extreme cases as genital infection, is now so widespread that WHO is calling for efforts to step up a vaccine to HSV-1 and the more extreme HSV-2.

"We really need to accelerate the development of vaccines against herpes simplex virus, and if a vaccine designed to prevent HSV-2 infection also prevented HSV-1, it would have far reaching benefits," said Sami Gottlieb, a WHO medical officer.

Improved hygiene has led to lower rates of infection of HSV-1, but it is leaving young people more at risk of catching it via oral sex when they become sexually active.

So, yeah. Don't wanna hit a sore spot, but herpes!

Via Reuters.com