KARACHI, Nov 18: Herpes, which is perceived as a cause of physical, mental and social trauma, specially among the young adults, is one of the neglected families of viruses and diseases which causes distress and suffering among its victims owing to its potentially disastrous consequences causing a number of diseases like cold sores, chicken pox, shingles and genital herpes.

This was stated by the members of the Pakistan Association of Dermatologists (PAD) while briefing newsmen at Karachi Press Club here on Monday about the nature of the disease and its consequences for the patients.

The herpes awareness week is celebrated globally from Nov 18 to 24 to create awareness among the people about the disease and to educate them to take precaution.

Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Dr Khurshid Hasan Alvi, Dr Naeem Alvi, consultant dermatologists, Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital, Dr Zarnaz Wahid, Associate Professor, Dermatology department, Civil Hospital, and Dr Badar Dhanani, consultant dermatologist of the Institute of Skin diseases.

While explaining the complications associated with the disease, they said that these include not only fatalities like blindness, encephalitis, pneumonia and hepatitis but also the mental agony caused by the social rejection.

“An estimated four out of five adults have cold sores and one in five adults suffer from genital herpes. The irony of the entire allegory is the fact that these outcomes can easily be avoided by taking appropriate medication at right time and there stands an exigency that this message be communicated to the doctors besides general public,” the speakers said.

They pointed out that the disease can occur in all ages with an increase in severity with increasing age.

“Exact data of herpes infection in Pakistan is not available but incidence of cold sore in USA is around 25 per cent of the population, while 25 million people in the USA are infected by the deadly disease,” the doctors said.

“Owing to better family ties, high morality and religious inhibitions, the incidence of herpes genitals in Pakistan is not on the high side,” they added.

The office-bearers of the PAD said that they had planned to initiate the observation of ‘the herpes awareness week’, during which the people would be educated by the doctors about the disease, including distribution of booklets in the OPDs of the major hospitals and clinics and organizing radio debates covering various aspects of the disease. — PPI