Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence at the time of HIV-1 diagnosis and seroincidence after HIV-1 diagnosis in an ethnically diverse cohort of HIV-1-infected persons.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence at HIV-1 diagnosis and seroincidence > or =1 year after HIV-1 diagnosis.


METHODS
HSV type-specific antibodies were detected by enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
The cohort comprised 850 adults diagnosed HIV-positive in 1986-2001 and followed for a median of 3 years. HSV-2 seroprevalence was 63% (95% confidence interval [CI], 60-66%) and was associated with female gender, heterosexual risk group, black ethnicity, and older age. HSV-2 seroincidence was 1.8 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 0.8-2.8) and was associated with other sexually transmitted diseases, including human papilloma virus infection (P = 0.005) and gonorrhea (P = 0.05). A diagnosis of genital herpes was made in 21% HSV-2-seropositive persons and was more likely in those who tested HIV-positive before 1997 (adjusted odds ratio, 5.11; 95% CI, 3.28-7.98; P = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Results confirm the epidemiologic association between HIV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-2 seroconversion was a marker of high-risk sexual behavior. The likelihood of developing symptoms of genital herpes declined from 1997 onward.
Ramaswamy
Meghna
M
Department of Virology, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK.
Sabin
Caroline
C
McDonald
Candice
C
Smith
Melvyn
M
Taylor
Chris
C
Geretti
Anna Maria
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
D000914:Antibodies, Viral