One in five has genital herpes
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of genital herpes in the western world, with an estimated 19 per cent of the population infected with the virus.
Researchers say the sexually transmitted disease is particularly prevalent in urban areas and among women from more affluent sections of society.
The study, carried out by a team at Lausanne University Hospital, is the first to look into the incidence of genital herpes in Switzerland.
Researchers found that the virus was much more common in Switzerland than in other European countries.
In France the disease affects approximately 15.6 per cent of the population, whereas in Britain and Spain the figure stands at four per cent.
“So Switzerland really stands a little bit apart in Europe, with its high rate,” said Pascal Meylan, one of the authors of the study.
“Now, why would that be? It has to do with the lifestyle.”
Meylan said the results highlighted the need to promote better awareness of the risks of contracting the disease.
Infection rate
The Swiss team drew their findings from the analysis of more than 3,000 anonymous blood samples collected at the start of the 1990s in cantons Vaud, Fribourg and Ticino.
Meylan said one Swiss peculiarity was that the frequency of infection rose the higher one moved up the social scale.
“This could reflect the fact that in Switzerland the sexual liberalisation that occurred between 1960 and 1990 had a greater effect on the more socio-economically affluent classes,” he said.
Meylan said the chance of infection was also related to a person’s promiscuity.
The virus, which is most commonly spread through sexual contact, can cause inflammation and irritation in the genital area. It can also increase the risk of infection with the HIV virus.
But symptoms vary, and many carriers may be unaware that they have the disease.
There is no cure for the herpes simplex virus but drugs are available for treating recurrent outbreaks.
swissinfo, Scott Capper and Adam Beaumont
Infection rates (estimated):
United States: 20%
Switzerland: 19.3%
France: 15.6%
Britain: 4%
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