Testing for HSV-2 infection among pregnant teens: implications for clinical practice.
OBJECTIVE
To pilot test the feasibility of screening pregnant teens for HSV-2 infection during their first prenatal visit.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 127 African-American adolescent females recruited during their first attendance to a prenatal clinic in a large urban hospital. A rapid serologic test (POCkit, manufactured by Diagnology Inc.) was used to assess HSV-2. The test uses a membrane-based immunoassay to detect circulating IgG antibodies to a specific antigen obtained from HSV-2 (semi-purified glycoprotein G2).


RESULTS
More than one-fifth (21.3%) of the adolescents tested positive for HSV-2; only 1 adolescent was previously aware of her infection. Older adolescents and those reporting a history of other STDs were significantly more likely to test positive for HSV-2.


CONCLUSIONS
Testing for HSV-2 in early pregnancy may be an efficient strategy for (1) initiating patient education designed to promote adoption of protective behaviors among adolescents at risk of HSV-2 acquisition during the remainder of their pregnancy and (2) teaching those who test positive how to recognize symptoms of HSV-2 outbreaks; patients reporting recurrent outbreaks during pregnancy may benefit from predelivery assessment.
Crosby
Richard A
RA
Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. rcrosby@sph.emory.edu
DiClemente
Ralph J
RJ
Wingood
Gina M
GM
Rose
Eve
E
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000208:ethnology; D012698:Serologic Tests