Herpes 2 on the Decline in the U.S.

Aug. 23, 2006 <p> -- HERPES DECLINING IN THE UNITED STATES A new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that the trend toward increasing prevalence of the herpes type 2 virus has been reversed, with a significant decrease in the number of Americans aged 14 to 49 who tested positive for the virus. The herpes 2 virus is the most common cause of genital herpes, one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the new study found that the number of people testing positive for the herpes 2 virus in their blood stream decreased by 19 percent from the last government survey, which concluded in 1994. Moreover, a lower percentage of people who had herpes 2 in their blood said they had actually been diagnosed with genital herpes, 10 percent vs. 14 percent in 1994. The number of people testing positive for the herpes 1 virus also decreased over the same time span.

DEATH BY JUST A LITTLE FAT Even a little overweight at middle age may increase your risk of death by a small amount, according to new research from the National Cancer Institute. Among never-smoking men and women aged 50 to 71, being overweight is associated with a 20 percent to 40 percent increased risk of death, and obesity is associated with a two to three times greater risk of death. This study adds to the controversy over whether just a little fat increases risk of death. These authors from the National Cancer Institute find the answer is yes, but a similarly large study published last year from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paper found the answer was no. However, the two papers are in one major area of agreement -- obesity, especially morbid obesity, kills.

BRAIN BUCKET LAWS KEEP BRAINS WHERE THEY BELONG BRAIN BUCKET LAWS KEEP BRAINS WHERE THEY BELONG Motor cycle accident victims were 41 percent more likely to suffer severe, disabling brain injury in states that didn't have mandatory helmet laws, according to a review conducted by West Virginia University and published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Other head injuries and facial injuries were also more common in states without laws. Nearly a quarter of motorcyclists with brain injuries in states without helmet laws ended up being transferred to a long-term care facility such as a nursing home. In 2001, when the data were collected, only 20 states had mandatory laws and several states in the other group of 30 had actually repealed mandatory helmet laws.

STAT is a brief look at the latest medical research and is compiled by Joanna Schaffhausen, who holds a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience. She works in the ABC News Medical Unit, evaluating medical studies, abstracts and news releases.