The psychosocial impact of testing individuals with no history of genital herpes for herpes simplex virus type 2.
BACKGROUND
Although approximately 20% of the population has a genital herpes (HSV-2) infection, 80% of these infections are unrecognized or asymptomatic. Serologic identification of HSV-2 leads to recognition of infection, which could lead to behavioral changes that reduce transmission. However, there has been concern that HSV-2 testing among persons without symptoms will cause substantial psychosocial harm.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to assess the psychosocial impact of an HSV-2 diagnosis among individuals without a history of genital herpes attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic.


METHODS
We conducted a cohort study of persons with no history of genital herpes attending an STD clinic and seeking herpes testing. Two follow-up interviews were conducted 1 week and 3 months after persons received their test results. Serum was tested using HerpeSelect 2. Psychosocial morbidity was assessed at baseline and each follow up using a mental health score, sexual attitude score, and perception of genital herpes score.


RESULTS
Twenty-one percent (41 of 196) of participants tested positive for HSV-2 antibody. Among patients who were HSV-2-positive, there was no significant change in mental health score from baseline during either follow-up visit, nor was there any difference compared with persons who were HSV-2-negative. Patients who were HSV-2-positive did have a decline (P = 0.01) in their sexual attitude scores at the 1-week follow up compared with persons who were HSV-2-negative, indicating a decrease in positive sexual attitude, but this difference no longer remained at the 3-month follow up (P = 0.74). Patients who were HSV-2-positive viewed having genital herpes as significantly less traumatic than patients who were HSV-2-negative at both follow-up visits (P <0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no apparent lasting adverse psychosocial impact of detecting HSV-2 infection among individuals without a history of genital herpes seeking herpes testing at an STD clinic.
Miyai
Tomio
T
STD Prevention and Control Services, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, California 94103, USA.
Turner
Katherine R
KR
Kent
Charlotte K
CK
Klausner
Jeffrey
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000914:Antibodies, Viral