title: Partner-concurrency associated with herpes simplex virus 2 infection in young South Africans.
abstract: Whilst much is known about the individual-level risk factors for herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) infection, little is known about why only some populations develop generalized HSV-2 epidemics. This study aims to assess the extent to which partner-concurrency (a factor which operates at both the partnership- and network-level) may be responsible. We utilized multivariate logistic regression to analyse the relationship between HSV-2 seropositivity and potential risk factors in data from a representative cross-sectional survey of 14-24 year olds from a township in South Africa conducted in 1999. The overall prevalence of HSV-2 was 53.3% amongst women and 17% amongst men. For men, four factors remained significantly associated with HSV-2 infection in the multivariate regression analysis: total number of sex acts, being a migrant labourer, Zulu ethnicity and being human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive. For women, eight factors were associated with HSV-2 infection: increasing age, partner-concurrency (having a partner who had other partners), an older partner, total number of sex acts, using hormonal contraception, Xhosa ethnicity, syphilis seropositivity and being HIV positive. We conclude that partner-concurrency is associated with increased HSV-2 seropositivity in women.
authors: HIV/STD Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Kenyon
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Colebunders
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Buve
authors: Niel
authors: N
authors: Hens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: AIDS; HIV; HSV-2; South Africa; epidemiology; herpes simplex virus; partner-concurrency; risk factors; sexual network; sexually transmitted infection