One out of five Americans (or approximately 56 million people) currently is infected with at least one of the approximately 25 various diseases that can be transmitted through sexual contact. The top three STDs in terms of numbers of persons infected are (in descending order): chlamydia, genital warts, and herpes.
HIV/AIDS, as we all know, is the most serious STD around currently. Estimates suggest that 650,000 to 900,000 Americans are now living with HIV, and at least 40,000 new infections occur each year. The group with the highest rate of infection these days is minority women.
HIV is spread sexually mainly via vaginal and anal intercourse, or through other mucus membrane exposure to infected semen or blood. Different forms of intimate contact carry different levels of exposure risk. According to the most recent data I've seen on HIV transmission via kissing, per the CDC, there has only been ONE reported case of such transmission to date. It occurred between two people who BOTH had bad periodontal gum disease.
Also per the CDC--The risk of HIV transmission is increased in the presence of STDs that cause genital ulcers (e.g., syphilis, herpes, or chancroid) as well as other STDs (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis). Frequently these STDs have no symptoms, especially in women.
Hepatitis is also a viral disease, and comes in a variety of forms. Hepatitis A is spread through oral-fecal contamination (and why you always want food handlers to wash their hands after using the bathroom). The other forms of hepatitis are spread through blood and bodily fluid transmission (hepatitis B, C, D, and E). Hepatitis B is the most prevalent of the blood-bourne types of hepatitis.
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a liver disease that causes inflammation of the liver. This inflammation can cause liver cell damage, which can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and an increased risk of liver cancer. The liver damage can be bad enough to require a liver transplant or be fatal.
HBV is transmitted through contact with body fluids containing the virus, such as blood, semen and vaginal secretions (menses). Thus, anyone who is exposed to blood or body fluids of an infected person is at risk of contracting HBV. Hepatitis B is most commonly passed from person to person through sexual contact. In about 30%-40% of cases, the method of passing the virus to others is unrecognized. The HBV virus can survive outside of the body for at least 7 days on a dry surface and is 100 times more contagious than HIV virus.
Each year in the U.S. more than 100,000 people contract HBV. (In Colorado, one person out of every 200 has been infected with it). Approximately 90-95% of adults will recover within six months and not contract HBV again. The infection can be mild enough that it is not recognized. Of all persons infected with HBV, approximately 5-10% of adults and 25- 90% of children under the age of five will be unable to clear the virus from their bodies within six months. These people are considered to be chronically infected with it and are capable to infecting others. They are described as being hepatitis B carriers.
But unlike HIV, Hepatitis B is preventable through a three injection vaccination series. These vaccines are now given to children as part of their routine immunization series. There is no cure for HBV, although Interferon is used in some cases.
Herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-type 1 commonly causes fever blisters on the mouth or face (oral herpes), while HSV-type 2 typically affects the genital area (genital herpes). (These viruses are also related to the herpes varicella/zoster virus which causes chickenpox, and in later life, shingles).
Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause either genital or oral infections. Most of the time, these viruses are inactive, or “silent,” and cause no symptoms, but some infected people can have “outbreaks” of blisters and ulcers. Once infected with HSV, the virus is always present in the body (during the inactive periods, the virus lies dormant in the nervous system, which it accesses from infected skin by ascending sensory nerve fibers).
Nationwide, 45 million people ages 12 and older, or one out of five of the total adolescent and adult population, is infected with HSV-2. HSV-2 infection is more common in women (found in approximately one out of every four women) than in men (almost one out of five). This may be because male to female transmission is more efficient than female to male transmission. HSV-2 infection is also more common in blacks (45.9%) than in whites (17.6%). Since the late 1970s, the number of Americans with genital herpes infection (i.e., prevalence) has increased 30%. Prevalence is increasing most dramatically among young white teens; HSV-2 prevalence among 12- to 19-year-old whites is now five times higher than it was 20 years ago. And young adults ages 20 to 29 are now twice as likely to have HSV-2.
From the prevention perspective, the biggest problem with HSV is that apparently 70% of people who have been infected with it DON'T REALIZE that they have it (as the initial infection must have been mild or was attributed to some other cause).
There currently is no cure for herpes. There are a number of anti-viral medications which are used to control the initial infection and subsequent outbreaks. Some people also report a good response in preventing further outbreaks by taking the amino acid L-lysine rountinely. The recent research I've seen indicates that viral "shedding" throught the skin (the reactivation of the virus after the initial infection, before the new blisters appear) occurs mainly during the first year following the initial herpes infection.
But anyone who is having prodromial symptions (nerve pain, itching, redness, swelling) should be taking the same safe sex precautions as when the active lesions appear.
Per the CDC--The consistent and correct use of latex condoms is the best protection. However, condoms do not provide complete protection, because a herpes lesion may not be covered by the condom and viral shedding may occur. If you or your partner has genital herpes, it is best to abstain from sex when symptoms are present, and to use latex condoms between outbreaks.
And yes, Herpes can be transmitted by kissing. But only if there is an active oral lesion present at the time. And it is also possible to get an oral herpes infection from genital contact with someone who has an active genital lesion.