title: Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 in adult HIV-infected patients and blood donors in Croatia.
abstract: The present study estimates herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence and evaluates its association with age, sex, human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among adults in Croatia. A cross-sectional survey included 166 HIV-infected patients and 219 blood donors. Antibodies against HSV-2 were determined by enzyme immunoassays based on gG2 recombinant glycoprotein. HSV-2 seroprevalence was 45.8% in HIV-infected patients and 8.7% in blood donors (p < 0.0001; OR 8.8; 95% CI 5.05-15.49). Independent predictors of HSV-2 seropositivity were HIV infection (OR 11.0; 95% CI 5.93-20.41), female gender (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.22-4.26), older age (OR 3.93; 95% CI 2.74-7.11), and HHV-8 seropositivity (OR 2.72; 95% CI 1.09-6.75). Understanding the epidemiology of HSV-2 is a critical first step in designing interventions to decrease HSV-2 and HIV transmission. The association of HSV-2 with HIV infection and HHV-8 antibodies suggests a similar transmission route.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević", Zagreb, Croatia. orode@bfm.hr
authors.forename: Oktavija Daković
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Rode
authors.forename: Snjezana Zidovec
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Lepej
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Begovac
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral