title: Epidemiology of genital herpes simplex virus infections in a community-based sample in France: results of the HERPIMAX study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to provide information on the prevalence of herpes simplex infections in the general population in Europe.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goals of this study were to determine the prevalence of clinically probable genital herpes and the relationship between serotype and clinical expression in a French community-based sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4410 subjects chosen at random were serotyped for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Data on symptoms were obtained by questionnaire allowing retrospective diagnosis of clinically probable genital herpes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaire data and serotype were available for 3192 subjects. Seroprevalences of HSV-1 and HSV-2 were 65.6% and 15.5%, respectively. Prevalence of clinically probable genital herpes was 11.8%, identified in 11.1% of HSV-1-positive subjects and 26.8% of HSV-2-positive subjects, with a lower prevalence in those coinfected with both virus types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinically probable genital herpes was observed in one fourth of subjects with HSV-2 infections and in some subjects with HSV-1 infection. Coinfection with HSV-1 appeared to protect against symptom expression in subjects infected with HSV-2.
authors.affiliation: EA 3677, Université Bordeaux 2, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malvy
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halioua
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lançon
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezvani
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertrais
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chanzy
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daniloski
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ezzedine
authors.forename: Jean-Elie
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Malkin
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morand
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Labareyre
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hercberg
authors.forename: Abdelkader
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Hasnaoui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012703:Serotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires