Epidemiology of genital herpes simplex virus infections in a community-based sample in France: results of the HERPIMAX study.
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.
Malvy
Denis
D
EA 3677, Université Bordeaux 2, France.
Halioua
Bruno
B
Lançon
Florian
F
Rezvani
Ali
A
Bertrais
Sandrine
S
Chanzy
Bruno
B
Daniloski
Michel
M
Ezzedine
Khaled
K
Malkin
Jean-Elie
JE
Morand
Patrice
P
De Labareyre
Cecile
C
Hercberg
Serge
S
El Hasnaoui
Abdelkader
A
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