title: Type-specific herpes simplex virus-1 and herpes simplex virus-2 seroprevalence in Romania: comparison of prevalence and risk factors in women and men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 and HSV-1 seroprevalence in women and men in Romania.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional seroprevalence survey was conducted between 2004 and 2005 on a total of 1058 women and men representative of the population of Bucharest. All participants were aged 15-44 years and completed a structured questionnaire. A blood sample was collected to detect IgG anti-HSV-1 and HSV-2 serum antibodies using the HerpeSelect ELISA (Focus Diagnostics).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 761 women (median age 29 years) and 297 men (median age 29 years) were included. Overall, HSV-2 seroprevalence (15.2%) increased with age. Among women, HSV-2 seroprevalence increased from 11.0% in 15-19-year-olds to 38.3% in 40-44-year-olds. Among men, seroprevalence increased from 4.0% in 20-24-year-olds to 27.1% in 40-44-year-olds. HSV-2 seroprevalence was significantly higher among women than men (17.0% vs. 10.8%). HSV-1 seropositivity was high (87.2%) in all age groups, with no clear trend by age or by sex. In addition to older age and female sex, risk factors for HSV-2 included greater number of lifetime sexual partners, lower educational attainment, and history of genital vesicles. Lower educational level and rural residence were associated with a higher risk of HSV-1 seropositivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Romania, HSV-2 seroprevalence was higher in women than men, and was within European limits and lower than that in Africa and the USA. In contrast, HSV-1 seroprevalence was generally higher than that previously recorded in similarly aged populations in Western Europe.
authors.affiliation: Professor Dr. Matei Bals National Infectious Diseases Institute, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arama
authors.forename: A Streinu
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Cercel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vladareanu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mihai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mihailescu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goschin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filipescu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hristea
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Malkin
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult