Screening of Herpes simplex virus 2 infection among pregnant women in southern China.
The aim was to investigate the prevalence of Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 infection among pregnant women in southern China and analyze the relationship between the HSV-2 infection and pregnancy outcome. We examined 1740 sera collected from pregnant women aged 21-39 years, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of specific antibodies against HSV-2. The overall prevalence of HSV-2 infection was 23.56% (95% confidence interval [CI]=21.53-26.00). The prevalence of HSV-2 infection in the women with abnormal pregnancy was 35.93% (95% CI=26.23-42.44) (83/231), which was much higher than that in women who had been pregnant before but without abnormal pregnancy and that in the primipara group. (P<0.05). The presence of HSV-2 antibodies was also associated with status of education. The prevalence of HSV-2 infection in the 26-30-year age group (27.49%) (95% CI=24.53-30.33) was the highest among all age groups. The prevalence of HSV-2 infection in pregnant women in southern China is quite high. Women with asymptomatic or subclinical genital infection should be identified by examining the HSV-2 antibody, which would be helpful to reduce the abnormal pregnancy outcome.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical School, Guangdong, Shantou, China.
Jia-Min
JM
Li
Yong-Ru
YR
Chen
Xi-Tao
XT
Li
Wen-Can
WC
Xu
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral