title: Sero-prevalence of Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in Rakai district, Uganda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is sexually transmitted and causes one of the genital ulcerative diseases associated with the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of serological reactivity to a type specific HSV-2 antigen (gG2) ELISA assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rakai district, Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and one serum samples of persons aged 15-54 years. The samples were randomly selected by a computer programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 201 serum samples selected, 117 (58.2%) had serological evidence of HSV-2 infection. Twenty nine (32.2%) out of the 74 males and 88 (69.3%) out of the 127 females, respectively, had serological evidence of HSV-2 infection giving a female:male ratio of 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.4). The most important risk factor for acquisition of HSV-2 in males was found to be age while in the females, the most important risk factors were age and the number of sexual partners in the previous five years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSV-2 was highly prevalent in this rural population of Uganda.
authors.affiliation: The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Department of International Health, Division of Disease Control, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Emonyi
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zenilman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wawer
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Sewankambo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serwadda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiwanuka
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nalugoda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology