Herpes simplex virus type 2 associated with HIV infection among New York heterosexuals living in high-risk areas.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) has been shown to increase the risk of sexual human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. A matched case-control design was used to examine the association between HSV-2 and HIV infection among heterosexuals in 'high-risk areas' (HRAs) in New York City (NYC). We identified NYC HRAs using HIV surveillance data on heterosexual-related adult HIV diagnoses and USA census data on household poverty. Heterosexuals who were socially or geographically linked to an HRA were recruited using respondent-driven sampling. HIV prevalence was 8.6% and HSV-2 prevalence was 80.1%. Only 6% of HIV-positives knew they were infected. HIV-positive cases were matched to HIV-negative controls on gender, race/ethnicity and age, and tested for antibody to HSV-2. In a multivariate model, HIV infection was associated with HSV-2 infection (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1-11.7) and non-HSV-related sexually transmitted infection diagnosis in the previous year (AOR = 2.6, 1.1-6.2). Effective approaches to HIV risk reduction for individuals with HSV-2 remain uncertain, and these are urgently needed in high-risk communities where multiple social, behavioural and biological factors that facilitate HIV infection coexist.
New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY 10003, USA. hh50@nyu.edu
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H
Hagan
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Jenness
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Wendel
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Murrill
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Neaigus
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Gelpi-Acosta
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence