title: Prevalence and risk factors for herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among middle-age women in Brazil and the Philippines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data comparing type-specific herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence and risk factors between comparable populations are largely unavailable, particularly from less-developed countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection and the risk factors for this infection among women in São Paulo, Brazil, and Manila, the Philippines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Altogether, 552 middle-aged women participating as control subjects in two cervical cancer studies were screened for type-specific HSV-2 antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Herpes simplex virus type 2 seroprevalence was higher in Brazil (42%) than in the Philippines (9.2%). The mean ages of Brazilian (n = 181) and Filipino (n = 371) women were 52.4 and 46.6 years, respectively. Brazilian participants had more lifetime sexual partners, less education, and more often a husband with other sexual partners than Filipino women. Herpes simplex virus type 2 was independently associated with younger age at first intercourse in both countries. More than one lifetime sexual partner, a husband with other sexual partners, urban/semi-urban residence, and no history of condom use were HSV-2 risk factors in Brazil, but not in the Philippines, where long-term hormonal contraceptive use was associated with increased risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher HSV-2 seroprevalence in Brazil than in the Philippines may be explained largely by differences in the sexual behavior of women and their husbands. Herpes simplex virus type 2 seroprevalence data may be used as a marker of past sexual behavior for the direct comparison of different population groups.
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. smith@iarc.fr
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eluf-Neto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ngelangel
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ashley
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral