Study: People With Genital Herpes Can Spread The Virus Without Knowing They Have It

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A concerning new study is out dealing with the herpes virus.

World wide, more than 530 million people have the herpes virus and according to a new report people who harbor the virus can be spreading it as much as 10 percent of the time, not even knowing they have it.

According to information in the Journal of the American Medical Association genital herpes can be contagious even when people don't have symptoms.

We've known for many years that herpes is spread through sexual contact when people have sores or what is called the prodromal period in the days before the sores appear. Although use of condoms can reduce the spread of genital herpes, it does not provide 100 percent protection.

Reported by Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio