Herpes simplex virus infection in a university health population: clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and implications.
OBJECTIVE
The authors described clinical presentations of oral and genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in a university health population and implications of these findings.


METHODS
Using a standardized data collection tool, 215 records of patients with symptomatic culture-positive HSV infections were reviewed.


RESULTS
HSV-1 accounted for 78% of female and 85% of male genital herpes (GH) infections, and oral herpes (OH) infections presented as an acute febrile illness (AFI) in 51% of those 18 to 24 years old. HSV-2 accounted for 68% of GH infections among adults 25 or older.


CONCLUSIONS
As seroprevalence for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 in the United States is decreasing, a growing college age cohort is at risk for primary HSV-1 infection. The proportion of GH caused by HSV-1 also continues to increase. This understanding has implications for clinical care, sexual health programming, and counseling strategies.
Horowitz
Robert
R
University Health Services, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA. drrobertbob@gmail.com
Aierstuck
Sara
S
Williams
Elizabeth A
EA
Melby
Bernette
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult