<P> Pedro Cuatrecasas states, "during the R&D of acyclovir, marketing (department of Burroughs Wellcome) insisted that there were' no markets' for this compound . Most had hardly heard of genital herpes ..." Thus, marketing the medical condition--separating the' normal cold sore' from the' stigmatized genital infection' was to become the key to marketing the drug, a process now known as' disease mongering' . </P> <P> Since the creation of the herpes hype, some people experience negative feelings related to the condition following diagnosis, in particular if they have acquired the genital form of the disease . Feelings can include depression, fear of rejection, feelings of isolation, fear of being found out, and self - destructive feelings . These feelings usually lessen over time . Much of the hysteria and stigma surrounding herpes stems from a media campaign beginning in the late 1970s and peaking in the early 1980s . Multiple articles were worded in fear - mongering and anxiety - provoking terminology, such as the now - ubiquitous "attacks", "outbreaks", "victims", and "sufferers". At one point, the term "herpetic" even entered the popular lexicon . The articles were published by Reader's Digest, U.S. News, and Time magazine, among others . A made - for - TV movie was named Intimate Agony . The peak was when Time magazine had' Herpes: The New Scarlet Letter' on the cover in August 1982, forever stigmatizing the word in the public mind . Herpes support groups have been formed in the United States and the UK, providing information about herpes and running message forums and dating websites for sufferers . People with the herpes virus are often hesitant to divulge to other people, including friends and family, that they are infected . This is especially true of new or potential sexual partners whom they consider casual . </P> <P> In a 2007 study, 1,900 people (25% of which had herpes) ranked genital herpes second for social stigma, out of all sexually transmitted diseases (HIV took the top spot for STD stigma). </P> <P> An important source of support is the National Herpes Resource Center which arose from the work of the American Social Health Association (ASHA). The ASHA was created in 1914 to in response to the increase in sexually transmittes diseases that had spread during World War I. During the 1970s, there was an increase in sexually transmitted diseases . One of the diseases that increased dramatically was genital herpes . In response, ASHA created the National Herpes Resource Center in 1979 . The HRC was designed to meet the growing need for education and awareness about the virus . One of the projects of The Herpes Resource Center (HRC) was to create a network of local support (HELP) groups . The goal of these HELP groups was to provide a safe, confidential environment where participants can get accurate information and share experiences, fears, and feelings with others who are concerned about herpes . </P>

Where did the first case of herpes come from