Transmission of genital herpes by donor insemination.
This report describes a donor in a therapeutic donor insemination program who asymptomatically acquired a primary herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection from his long-standing sexual partner. His fresh semen was used to inseminate two HSV-seronegative recipients; in one a primary HSV-2 infection developed, and in one it did not. Direct evidence of transmission from donor to recipient was documented by restriction enzyme analysis of the HSV-2 isolates obtained from the donor's semen and from the recipient's cervix. Because of the possibility of asymptomatic acquisition and transmission of HSV-2, semen donors and their sexual partners should undergo serologic screening for genital herpes using new, type-specific HSV serologic techniques.
Moore
D E
DE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
Ashley
R L
RL
Zarutskie
P W
PW
Coombs
R W
RW
Soules
M R
MR
Corey
L
L
D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007315:Insemination, Artificial; D007316:Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012747:Sexual Partners; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification