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For many women, genital herpes is a dreaded diagnosis. However, despite their initial concerns, most infected women find that herpes is more of an annoyance than a serious problem. It's also common: At least 50 million people in the U.S. -- nearly one out of every four adults -- have genital herpes.
What Is Genital Herpes?
Genital herpes is a lifelong infection that can affect the vulva, surrounding skin, anus, and cervix in women (in men, it affects the penis or surrounding skin). It's caused by one of two herpes simplex viruses: HSV-2, the most common cause, and HSV-1, which also causes "cold sores" or "fever blisters" around the mouth. Herpes infection may cause symptoms that return again and again (so-called recurrent symptoms), or it may…