TLDR: 45% of the US population over the age of 18 has HSV-1 and/or HSV-2 according to CDC stats. True numbers are higher due to people not getting STI tests and not all STI testing tests for HSV.

It's getting old to hear people be in fear of disclosing or to be surprised when someone else also discloses. I figured I'd take the CDC stats I last looked at and do a simple math breakdown.

1 in 4 have HSV-1

1 in 5 have HSV-2

1 in 20 have both HSV-1 & HSV-2

If 1/4 have HSV-1 and 1/5 have HSV-2 we are looking at this equation:

1/4 1/5 = X (Math, no one cares about your ex. Just forget about her. I get it, but bear with me).

Doing cross multiplication for the numerator:

4 x 1 = 4

5 x 1 = 5

4 5 = 9

Finding the common denominator: 4 x 5 = 20

The resulting fraction is 9/20.

We can't decrease the fraction at all as it is in the lowest state.

9/20 turned into a percentage:

9 divided by 20 = 0.45

0.45 into a percentage is 45%

Math!