Herpes statistics indicate that herpes is one of the most common conditions in the world. According to herpes statistics, the overwhelming majority of people have one of two variations of the herpes simplex virus. The variation of herpes simplex that's most common by a wide margin is herpes simplex 1. Herpes simplex 1 typically leads to the development of cold sores, though herpes simplex 1 can affect the genital region as well. It's believed that up to ninety percent of adults are infected with herpes simplex 1, though not every infected person shows physical symptoms. Herpes simplex 2 infection is considerably less common than herpes simplex 1 infection, but still occurs fairly often with an infection rate of roughly twenty percent of adults. Herpes simplex 2 usually causes genital herpes. Regardless of the variation, herpes simplex infection is not considered a serious health issue.