title: A sero-epidemiological study of herpes virus type 1 and 2 infection in Israel.
abstract: In order to obtain data on the prevalence and incidence of herpes virus type 2 (HSV(2)) infection in selected populations of women and to identify groups that might benefit from routine prenatal screening, an epidemiological study was conducted during the period 1984-1990, which showed HSV(2) seroprevalence to be 2.8%. Due to the worldwide increase of over 30% of HSV(2) infection in the past two decades, a second study was performed during the period 1 January 1998-31 December 1999. Four different population groups were studied: 172 children aged 6 months to 17 years (group 1), 716 adults, men and women aged 18-95 (group 2), 200 women aged 30-67 who participated in the first survey and were re-examined in 1999 in the second survey (group 3), and a prevalence group of 155 parturient women from six different delivery rooms (group 4). Among the healthy 716 males and females HSV(2) seroprevalence was 4.5%. When analyzed by subgroup, HSV(2) seroprevalence rose from 2.3% in the 18-30 years subgroup to 6.5% in the 30-50 years subgroup and to 7.3% in the 51-70 years subgroup, and then declined to 2.4% after age 70 years. In the 200 women re-examined, HSV(2) seroprevalence was 7.7% with a 0.55% HSV(2) sero incidence per annum. In the prevalence group HSV(2) seroprevalence was 4.5%. Sera from the 1223 participants of all four groups were also screened for HSV(1) infection. HSV(1) antibody was present in 22% of children aged 6 months-1 year, in 60% at 21 years and in 87% at age 70 years. The data support the conclusion that in Israel there is no justification for routine prenatal HSV(2) screening in the healthy female population.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Shaare Zedek, Medical Center, PO Box 3235 Jerusalem 91031, Israel.
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isacsohn
authors.forename: Zahava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Smetana
authors.forename: Zichria Zakai
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Rones
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raveh
authors.forename: Yoram
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Diamant
authors.forename: Arnon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samueloff
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shaya
authors.forename: Ella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mendelson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rudenski
authors.forename: Elchanan Bar
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: On
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morag
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D018139:Simplexvirus
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral