Herpes simplex virus type-2 seropositivity among ever married women in South and north Vietnam: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) seropositivity and associated risk factors in Vietnamese women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study with personal interviews and gynecological examinations among population-based samples of ever married women, aged 15 to 69 years, living in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Hanoi in 1997. Type-specific IgG antibodies against HSV-2 were detected using HerpeSelect ELISA (Focus Diagnostics). Adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated with log-binomial regression.


RESULTS
HSV-2 seroprevalence was higher in 1106 women from HCMC (30.8%, 95% CI: 28.1-33.4, age-standardized to 2000 world standard population) than in 1170 women from Hanoi (8.8%, 95% CI: 7.1-10.5). In HCMC, HSV-2 seroprevalence was higher for women who were not married, HPV DNA positive, current hormonal contraceptive users, or had a history of multiple sexual partners or spontaneous abortion. HCMC seroprevalence was inversely associated with educational attainment, age at first intercourse, and age at first pregnancy. In the multivariable model for HCMC, a trend of increasing HSV-2 seroprevalence with age was observed, and prevalence ratios were nearly identical to age-adjusted prevalence ratios for marital status, age at first pregnancy, and HPV DNA positivity.


CONCLUSIONS
HSV-2 was notably less prevalent in Hanoi than HCMC, where it was associated with traditional HSV-2 risk factors. These results are likely explained by socio-cultural, historical, economic, and demographic factors related to urban-rural and regional differences. Future population-based studies should include men and never-married women as a next step toward obtaining a more nearly complete picture of HSV-2 epidemiology in Vietnam.
Le
Hoa Van
HV
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
Schoenbach
Victor J
VJ
Herrero
Rolando
R
Hoang Pham
Anh Thi
AT
Nguyen
Hieu Trong
HT
Nguyen
Thuy Thi
TT
Muñoz
Nubia
N
Franceschi
Silvia
S
Vaccarella
Salvatore
S
Parkin
Max D
MD
Snijders
Peter J F
PJ
Morrow
Rhoda Ashley
RA
Smith
Jennifer S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G