title: Prevalence and correlates of herpes simplex virus type-2 infection among men who have sex with men, san francisco, 2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections are asymptomatic or unrecognized, so periodic serological surveys are necessary in order to measure the true prevalence of infection, track trends over time, and identify correlates of infection, including coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional, serological survey among 500 men who have sex with men (MSM) in San Francisco during 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection was 26.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 18.3-33.9), of HIV infection was 18.6% (95% CI, 13.0-24.4), and of HSV-2/HIV coinfection was 12.0% (95% CI, 7.3-16.8; categories not mutually exclusive). HSV-2 prevalence was 3.7 (95% CI, 2.3-5.9) times as high among HIV-infected MSM as among HIV-uninfected MSM. Strong predictors of HSV-2 infection among both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected MSM were older age and black race.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of HSV-2 infection among MSM in San Francisco is similar to that among MSM nationwide and is higher than that among all men nationwide. Prevalence rates are highly disparate among subpopulations of MSM in San Francisco, with the strongest predictors of infection being HIV-positive serostatus, older age, and black race. Primary prevention of HSV-2, particularly among populations at the highest risk for infection with HSV-2 or HIV, should remain a major public health goal to reduce the substantial morbidity caused by both of these infections.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bohl
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Ernie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Henry Fisher
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Klausner
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McFarland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral