Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 and correlates of infection in Israel.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of infections with herpes viruses 1 and 2 (HSV1 and HSV2) have significantly changed in the developed countries during the last three decades. This study provides up-to-date estimates of HSV-1 and HSV-2 seroprevalence and information on the correlates of infection in a representative sample of the Israeli population.


METHODS
Three thousand eight hundred and eighty-one sera collected in 2000-2001 from an age-stratified general population sample were tested using an indirect IgG ELISA for type-specific HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies.


RESULTS
Unadjusted HSV-1 seroprevalence was 59.8% (95% confidence interval: 58.2-61.4) and increased with age in both genders. Multivariate analysis revealed that HSV-1 seroprevalence rates were significantly higher in females, non-Jews, subjects who were not born in Israel, inhabitants of Jerusalem and Southern Israel and among subjects also seropositive for HSV-2. Unadjusted HSV-2 seroprevalence among adults was 9.2% (95% confidence interval: 7.9-10.2), and was higher in females, peaking at 20.5% in females aged 40-49. In a multivariate model, females, subjects who were not born in Israel and residents of Jerusalem and Southern Israel were significantly associated with HSV-2 seropositivity.


CONCLUSIONS
HSV-1 seroepidemiology in Israel resembles the trends in industrialized countries. HSV-2 seroprevalence rates is in the lower range reported across Europe.
Davidovici
Batya B
BB
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Green
Manfred
M
Marouni
Mehran J
MJ
Bassal
Ravit
R
Pimenta
Jeanne M
JM
Cohen
Dani
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies