Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and antibody response to primary infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in young women.
2013 Feb
Journal Article
Authors:
Bernstein, D.I.;
Bellamy, A.R.;
Hook, E.W.;
Levin, M.J.;
Wald, A.;
Ewell, M.G.;
Wolff, P.A.;
Deal, C.D.;
Heineman, T.C.;
Dubin, G.;
Belshe, R.B.
Secondary:
Clin Infect Dis
Volume:
56
Pagination:
344-51
Issue:
3
PMID:
23087395
Keywords:
Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Viral; Antibody Formation; Ethnic Groups; Female; Herpes Genitalis; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Herpesvirus 2, Human; Humans; Prospective Studies; Young Adult
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus infections type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are common, but the epidemiology of HSV disease is changing.METHODS: HSV-seronegative women, aged 18-30 years, who were in the control arm of the HERPEVAC Trial for Women were followed for 20 months for primary HSV infections.RESULTS: Of the 3438 evaluable participants, 183 became infected with HSV: 127 (3.7%) with HSV-1 and 56 (1.6%) with HSV-2. The rate of infection for HSV-1 (2.5 per 100 person-years) was more than twice that for HSV-2 (1.1 per 100 person-years). Most infections (74% of HSV-1 and 63% of HSV-2) occurred without recognized signs or symptoms of herpes disease. The HSV-2 infection rate was 2.6 times higher in non-Hispanic black participants than in Hispanics and 5.5 times higher than in non-Hispanic whites (P < .001), while the HSV-1 infection rate was 1.7 times higher in non-Hispanic whites than non-Hispanic blacks. Younger participants (18-22 years) were more likely to acquire HSV-1 infections and less likely to develop recognized disease than older participants. Overall, 84% of recognized disease cases were genital. No differences were noted in the clinical manifestations of genital HSV-1 vs genital HSV-2 disease. The clinicians' assessment that cases were caused by HSV was good when they assessed cases as clinically confirmed or unlikely (validated in 83% and 100% of cases, respectively).CONCLUSIONS: HSV-1 is now more common than HSV-2 as a cause of oral and genital mucosal infections in young women, but there are important age and race differences.
