There is no sexually transmitted infection any of us want to get, or want to see others get, but one we would all like to avoid is genital herpes.

Herpes of the genital area is an STI that occurs in around one in eight Australians, and is very common in other parts of the world.

For sexually active people, the infection can be quite easy to pick up if safe sex is not practiced.

To give you an understanding of just what genital herpes is like, we can use the comparison to mouth ulcers.

When active, the herpes cause red sores, itching and occasional bleeding in the genital area.

The affected areas cause pain and make the area very sensitive and sore.

If you have any of the above symptoms it is advise you see a doctor as you could have caught the infection.

One of the disturbing facts about genital herpes is that 80 percent of people with the infection actually do not know they have it.

The reason is that for the majority of people it sits dormant in their system and is fought off by their immune system.

The problem here, however, is that it can still get passed onto others whom you have sex with and can eventually show symptoms later in life.

For those infected, they can have up to 4-6 outbreaks of the herpes in their first year, and suffer flu like symptoms when they first catch the virus.

As time goes on, the outbreaks occur less and less with more time in between.

If you are at all worried about the possibility you could have genital herpes, it is advised you see a doctor.