1 in 6 Americans infected with genital herpes; 80 percent unaware of infection

The genital herpes is treatable, but incurable, and can cause recurrent and painful genital sores and also increases the likelihood of acquiring and transmitting the AIDS virus.

The infection rate of genital herpes is the highest among black women at 48 percent, according to an analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention.

Women are nearly twice likely as men to contract the virus: 21 percent of women are infected with genital herpes, while only 11.5 percent of men contracted the virus.

39 percent of black Americans are infected, compared to about 12 percent of whites, the analysis showed.