Post: #51

This is kind of interesting:

http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/messagef...ug-company

Basically it's saying that genital herpes wasn't seen as anything worse than a cold sore until the 1970s when pharmaceutical advertising campaigns began stigmatizing it in America to sell drugs.

It mentions that the stigma might not be as prevalent in other countries. Interestingly, I read somewhere that in a lot of East Asian countries, where procreation and continuing the bloodline is arguably more important than in the West, Syphilis (a curable STD) is the big scary one because of the possible complications leading to sterility. Herpes is a non-issue. Now I don't know how dated that information may be but still it's kind of interesting.

I've often wondered if there would be as many "incurable" afflictions if there was as much money in curing as there is in treating.

Post: #52

I had a friend in his 30's that just contracted simplex 1 (cold sores). Besides the fact that it's remarkable that he made it to his 30's without already getting it, the "initial outbreak" knocked him on his ass. Missed several days of work in bed with full body pains and flu symptoms. Crazy. And got it from just kissing a girl.