title: Incidence of herpes simplex virus type-1 and type-2 from patients with primary (first-attack) genital herpes in Sheffield.
abstract: In a study to determine the herpes simplex virus (HSV) type isolated from patients with primary (first-attack) genital herpes and to identify any clinical or epidemiological features that might influence the reported incidence of any particular viral type, there was almost an equal incidence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 isolated from women (48% versus 52%). In the case of women, the initial clinical diagnosis was correct in 97% with HSV-1 and 95% with HSV-2 infection. Amongst men, HSV-2 was isolated more frequently than HSV-1 (71% versus 29%). However, the initial clinical diagnosis in men was correct in only 53% with HSV-1 and 83% with HSV-2 infection. These results suggest that in primary genital herpes the incidence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 is probably equal, while in men the reported incidence of HSV-1 may be affected by underdiagnosis giving a falsely high incidence of HSV-2 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Woolley
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kudesia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000145:classification*; D006113:United Kingdom