title: Testing for HSV-2 infection among pregnant teens: implications for clinical practice.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. rcrosby@sph.emory.edu
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: Ralph J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: DiClemente
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wingood
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: 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