title: Incident herpes simplex virus type 2 infection increases the risk of subsequent episodes of bacterial vaginosis.
abstract: Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infected women have a higher prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) compared to HSV-2-seronegative women. To explore the temporal association between these conditions, we evaluated the frequency of BV episodes before and after HSV-2 acquisition in a prospective study of 406 HSV-2/HIV-1-seronegative Kenyan women, of whom 164 acquired HSV-2. Incident HSV-2 was associated with increased likelihood of BV (adjusted OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.05-1.56; P = .01). Our findings strengthen the evidence for a causal link between genital HSV-2 infection and disruption of the vaginal microbiota.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology.
authors.forename: Linnet
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masese
authors.forename: Jared M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Baeten
authors.forename: Barbra A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bukusi
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: John-Stewart
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jaoko
authors.forename: Juma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shafi
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiarie
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: McClelland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Africa; Bacterial vaginosis; herpes simplex virus type 2; women