Celebrity Gave Woman Herpes in Royal Oak Trysts: Lawsuit

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A Michigan woman now living in New York is asking for at least $75,000 in damages from a California celebrity she alleges gave her genital herpes while having sex with her multiple times at a residence he kept in Royal Oak last summer.

The parties aren’t named “due to the social stigma” of herpes, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit. It’s unclear if the celebrity is an actor, musician, athlete or politician, the Detroit Free Press reports.

» Read about the latest riddle in the mystery herpes case.

The plaintiff claims she has been permanently scarred physically, emotionally and psychologically by the defendant’s failure to disclose that he was infected with Herpes Simplex Virus 2, and “by failing to altogether avoid sexual contact” with her. The defendant “knew or should have known” that he had genital herpes, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states the plaintiff “will be forever branded with the social stigma of this disease”; will have repeated outbreaks of herpes throughout her lifetime; will have to take medication for the disease for the rest of her life; and will be unable to have a child through normal vaginal delivery if she has an outbreak during pregnancy. She also stated in the lawsuit that she fears she may never marry or have a long-term relationship because of the disease.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50 million Americans are known to have genital herpes, but most people have not had the condition diagnosed. As a result, the CDC said, most genital herpes infections are spread by persons who are unaware they have the infection or who do not have symptoms when the transmission occurs.

The American Academy of Dermatology says that about 20 percent of sexually active adults in the United States carry HSV-2, and some are more likely than others to contract it. The AAD says those most at risk:

• Are female;
• Have had multiple sex partners;
• Had sex for the first time at a young age;
• Have (or have had) another sexually transmitted infection;
• Have a weakened immune system due to disease or medicine.

» Photo via Flickr / Creative Commons