title: Transmission of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in a prospective cohort of HIV-negative gay men: the health in men study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite increasing reports of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 (HSV-1)-associated anogenital herpes, there are very limited data comparing the seroepidemiological profile of and risk factors for HSV-1 and HSV type 2 (HSV-2) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sexual behaviors were examined as risk factors for prevalent and incident HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections in a community-based cohort of 1,427 HIV-negative gay men in Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 at baseline was 75% and 23%, respectively. The rate of prevalent infection with HSV-1, as well as the rate of prevalent infection with HSV-2, was much lower in individuals <25 years of age, and each type of infection was associated with a higher number of both male and female sex partners. The median duration of follow-up of the cohort was 2.0 years. Among participants who were susceptible to infection, the incidence rates for HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection were 5.58 and 1.45 cases per 100 person-years, respectively. In multivariate analysis, incident infection with HSV-1 was significantly associated with younger age (P=.027) and reports of frequent insertive oral sex with casual partners (hazard ratio, 3.91 [95% confidence interval, 1.23-12.44]; P=.021). Incident infection with HSV-2 was significantly associated with a variety of anal sex practices with casual partners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 were commonly sexually transmitted, and there were more HSV-1 than HSV-2 seroconversions. Public-health strategies targeted against anogenital herpes increasingly need to take into account the importance of HSV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia. jjin@nchecr.unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Fengyi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Garrett P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Prestage
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kippax
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pell
authors.forename: Basil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Templeton
authors.forename: Janette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mindel
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kaldor
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Grulich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology