Prevalence and association between herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2-specific antibodies in attendees at a sexually transmitted disease clinic.
BACKGROUND
Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 was determined in 1993 and 1998 in a randomly selected study group of 1024 and 654 attendees, respectively, at the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic of the University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands. Correlations of HSV-1 and HSV-2 seropositivity were investigated. The relationship between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies was also studied.


METHODS
Data were collected in a cross-sectional study from February 1993 until February 1994 and from January 1998 until December 1998. Glycoprotein G (gG) HSV type specific serum IgG was determined.


RESULTS
Seroprevalence of HSV-1 was 68% versus 59% (1993 versus 1998, chi(2)-test P < 0.001), of HSV-2 it was 30% versus 22% (1993 versus 1998, chi(2)-test P < 0.001). Using logistic regression analyses, HSV-1 and HSV-2 seropositivity were significantly associated with age and ethnicity in both groups. In 1993, HSV-1 seropositivity also correlated with lower level of education and female gender, whereas in 1998 it correlated with 'number of sexual partners in the past 6 months' and 'present diagnosis of STD'. In both groups, HSV-2 seropositivity was also more prevalent in females and related to sexual lifestyle variables. In an exposure-disease model, HSV-1 seropositivity was not correlated with HSV-2 seropositivity (odds ratio 1993 = 1.1, 95% CI : 0.8--1.7; odds ratio in 1998 = 1.0, 95% CI : 0.5--1.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 is falling among STD clinic attendees in Rotterdam. A changing pattern of risk factors for HSV-1 seropositivity indicates increasing sexual transmission of HSV-1. Seropositivity for HSV-2 correlated with known risk factors. A previous HSV-1 infection does not reduce susceptibility to subsequent genital HSV-2 infections.
Roest
R W
RW
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt and Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. roest@derma.fgg.eur.nl
van der Meijden
W I
WI
van Dijk
G
G
Groen
J
J
Mulder
P G
PG
Verjans
G M
GM
Osterhaus
A D
AD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior
D000914:Antibodies, Viral