![](/ServeContent?url=http%3A%2F%2Farchfami.ama-assn.org%2Ficons%2Fspacer.gif) |
![](/ServeContent?url=http%3A%2F%2Farchfami.ama-assn.org%2Ficons%2Fspacer.gif) |
![](/ServeContent?url=http%3A%2F%2Farchfami.ama-assn.org%2Ficons%2Fspacer.gif)
Seroprevalence of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in a Family Medicine Clinic
Lynn Oliver, MD;
Anna Wald, MD, MPH;
Mihee Kim, RN, MPH;
Judith Zeh, PhD;
Stacy Selke, MA;
Rhoda Ashley, PhD;
Lawrence Corey, MD
Arch Fam Med. 1995;4(3):228-232.
Abstract
![](/ServeContent?url=http%3A%2F%2Farchfami.ama-assn.org%2Ficons%2Fspacer.gif) | ![](/ServeContent?url=http%3A%2F%2Farchfami.ama-assn.org%2Ficons%2Fspacer.gif) |
Objectives To determine the prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) antibody in a general medical practice setting and to assess the frequency of subclinical infection.
Design Prevalence study.
Setting A family practice clinic at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle.
Participants Five hundred randomly selected patients between the ages of 18 and 45 years.
Main Outcome Measures Serum samples were tested by Western blot assay to detect the presence of antibody to HSV type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2. Demographic information and clinical history of oral and genital herpes were obtained.
Results One hundred fourteen patients (23%) were seropositive for HSV-2 antibody, 277 patients (56%) were seropositive for HSV-1 antibody, 59 patients (12%) were seropositive for both HSV-2 and HSV-1 antibodies, and 163 patients (33%) were seronegative for both. Women were almost twice as likely as men to be seropositive for HSV-2 antibody (28% vs 15%, P<.001). Blacks had the highest rates of HSV-2 antibody seropositivity (60%) compared with whites (20%) and Asians (6%) (P<.001). Other demographic correlates of seropositivity included being older, having fewer years of education, and having public insurance. The specificity of a clinical history of genital herpes or sores for HSV-2 infection was high (99%), but the sensitivity was low (27%).
Conclusions Herpes simplex virus infection is common among patients seeking primary care. Women, blacks, and patients of lower socioeconomic status are most likely to be seropositive for HSV-2 antibody. The high frequency of unrecognized HSV infection has implications for primary care physicians in counseling patients regarding HSV infection and transmission.
Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Family Medicine (Dr Oliver), Medicine (Drs Wald and Corey), Laboratory Medicine (Mss Kim and Selke and Drs Ashley and Corey), and Statistics (Dr Zeh), the University of Washington, Seattle.
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
![](/ServeContent?url=http%3A%2F%2Farchfami.ama-assn.org%2Ficons%2Fspacer.gif) |
A Phase 1 Clinical Study of Intravenous Administration of PV701, an Oncolytic Virus, Using Two-Step Desensitization
Laurie et al.
Clin. Cancer Res. 2006;12:2555-2562.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Immunostimulatory CpG treatment for genital HSV-2 infections
Herbst and Pyles
J Antimicrob Chemother 2003;52:887-889.
FULL TEXT
Imiquimod 5-Percent Cream Does Not Alter the Natural History of Recurrent Herpes Genitalis: a Phase II, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Schacker et al.
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2002;46:3243-3248.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Seroprevalence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 among two sexually active female populations in Middlesbrough, England
Opaneye and Bashford
The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 2002;122:108-111.
ABSTRACT
Rising incidence and prevalence of herpes simplex type 2 infection in a cohort of 26 year old New Zealanders
Eberhart-Phillips et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2001;77:353-357.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Reactivation of Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection in Asymptomatic Seropositive Persons
Wald et al.
NEJM 2000;342:844-850.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Clinical Reactivation of Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Infection Decreases in Frequency over Time
Benedetti et al.
ANN INTERN MED 1999;131:14-20.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Genital Herpes: Review of the Epidemic and Potential Use of Type-Specific Serology
Ashley and Wald
Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 1999;12:1-8.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Family Practice: Epidemiology 101
Berg
Arch Fam Med 1995;4:207-207.
ABSTRACT
|