48% of African American Women have Genital Herpes

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CDC MMWR reporting findings

It is shocking to think that half the African American women one may see walking down the street are infected with HSV 2, genital herpes. HSV 2 infection makes one more susceptible to HIV infection. And these days, STDs do not necessarily travel alone. Syphilis, gonorrhea, and other STDs are much more common among American blacks as well.

Given the 70% illegitimacy rate of childbirth among African Americans, it is clear that family and monogamy are not highly prized. Other symptoms of social pathology such as high poverty rates, high crime rates, high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, and high rates of domestic violence, combine with behavioural diseases such as STDs to add to the misery index of the community.

It is not an American phenomenon, since one sees the same things in Haiti, Jamaica, South Africa, and almost everywhere that persons of African descent live in appreciable numbers and proportions.

More attention needs to be given to these social pathologies which tend to concentrate among persons of African heritage -- that is if we wish to do something to lessen the morbidity, mortality, and misery.