Genital herpes testing called into question

After being diagnosed with genital herpes this spring, a Stanford student is demanding answers -- not from her partner, but from the school's health center. \nMany students may be surprised to learn that genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease that affects one out of five adults in the United States, is not routinely tested for by most University health centers. \n"The way we do it at the health center is on a case-by-case basis," said Kathryn Brown, health educator at the IU health center. "It wouldn't be included in an STD screening." \nThe Stanford student claims that routine testing for genital herpes, however, may have helped her avoid contracting it. \nOften characterized by painful sores around the genital area, the disease is actually frequently asymptomatic -- according to the American Social Health Association, as many as 90 percent of people with the virus don't know they have it and may be passing it onto others. \nSo why isn't testing routine? \nAccording to Brown, the decision isn't so black and white. \n"Herpes is a very complicated situation, because there are two types," she said. "You would have to then have further tests to narrow it down as to whether it's type one or two ... and it gets very complicated, because so many people have been exposed to herpes one, which is basically cold sores around the mouth." \nA lack of routine testing for genital herpes is not confined to college health centers, however. In 2004, Planned Parenthood reported 427 herpes cultures state-wide. The Bloomington Planned Parenthood, only one of 39 Planned Parenthoods in the state, did almost 2,000 gonorrhea and chlamydia tests in the same year. \nAccording to Barb Sturbaum, director of procedures for Bloomington's Planned Parenthood, the facility routinely checks for gonorrhea, chlamydia, yeast and bacteria, but a physical evaluation can lead a doctor to do a blood test for herpes. \nSturbaum cites the price of the test as one reason against routine testing. \n"It's an expensive test," she said. "We charge $53 for a herpes culture." \nIn addition to a steep price, Sturbaum said even routine testing is performed on an individual basis. \n"I think testing should be available, but I don't think everyone should routinely have every test. You have to call a halt to it at some point," she said. "And in fact, not everyone gets tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia. If somebody is 30 years old and only has one partner, they might not ask for it ... There are a lot of things you take into account when you do tests." \nIn addition, Sturbaum said, genital herpes is not life-threatening. \n"The sores are painful, they hurt, but it doesn't cause infertility like some diseases do, and it doesn't lead to pelvic inflammatory diseases, like some do," she said. "But you can pass it on to newborns." \nIn spite of genital herpes' prevalence and detection difficulties, Brown said practicing safe sex is an even more effective tool in reducing the spread of the disease. \n"People need to focus on having safer sex ... I think that's a far better thing to do than say that everyone should be tested," she said. "Sure, they could have a test and find out they have it -- then what? Are they going to stop having sex? I don't think so"