Condom use lowers
herpes risks

Consistent condom use can lower the risks of acquiring herpes simplex 2, an incurable sexually transmitted disease, researchers report in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. A study of nearly 2,000 sexually active men and women showed that those who used condoms during at least 75% of their sexual encounters were 25% less likely to be infected with herpes than those who used condoms less frequently or not at all. Overall, about 6% of the study subjects became infected with herpes during the study. Although previous research had shown that condom use lowers herpes risks in women, this is the first study to prove condoms can protect men from herpes as well, lead researcher Anna Wald of the University of Washington told Reuters Health. (Advocate.com)