Acute Respiratory Disease of University Students With Special Reference to the Etiologic Role of Herpesvirus Hominis

Abstract

Infections with Herpesvirus hominis type 1 were associated with 11.5% of acute respiratory illnesses of university students who were admitted to the student infirmary over a 6-year period. Over three-quarters of these infections were detected in students with pharyngitis or tonsillitis; 42% had ulcerated lesions on tonsils or posterior pharynx but only 11% had lesions in the anterior portion of the mouth or lips. Almost all of the H. hominis infections were accompanied by significant rises in neutralizing antibodies and few students had detectable antibodies in the initial serum collected during the acute phase of illness. Special studies revealed herpes-specific IgM antibodies in the early convalescent sera of some of these patients. The data demonstrate that 80% of the infections detected were primary infections with H. hominis. Only 30% of university students possessed neutralizing antibodies to H. hominis and about 10% of those without antibodies acquired antibodies each year. These data suggest that the majority of persons from middle income families reach young adulthood without acquiring infections of H. hominis and the spread of the virus requires close and intimate contact.

Six-Year Study of the Incidence of Herpes in Genital and Nongenital Cultures in a Central Kentucky Medical Center Patient Population

“…Similarly, a cohort of 14-to 15-year-olds who were monitored for 15 years initially had a 25% seropositivity for HSV-1, but had a 59% seropositivity 15 years later (6). A 1975 university-based study of HSV respiratory disease indicated that only 30% of incoming students initially had HSV-1 antibodies, but there was an approximate 10% annual rate of seroconversion noted in this population (13). Of note, in a recent study looking at 124 healthy 17-to 24-year-olds in Central Kentucky, only 35.1% of the 17-to 19-year-olds had antibodies to HSV-1.…”

“…HSV-1 is ubiquitous, with a seroprevalence of about 60 to 85% in the adult population (16,28). Acute HSV-1 infection most commonly occurs in children and young adults as a gingivostomatitis, pharyngitis, or tonsillitis and is readily transmitted through oral secretions (13). Reactivation of latent infection generally presents as oral-facial disease (cold sores) (3).…”

Comparative Performance of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1-Specific Serologic Assays from MRL and Meridian Diagnostics

“…Although HSV-1 has historically been acquired primarily in childhood, acquisition of the virus is now often seen during early adulthood (4,8,9). Seroprevalence studies from several sites worldwide have indicated that approximately 60 to 70% of adolescents have not developed antibodies to this virus and are therefore still susceptible to infection with HSV-1 (5, 7, 8).…”

“…HSV-1 is the primary cause of oral-facial and pharyngeal herpes infections and may cause herpetic whitlow, eye infections, and disseminated disease (1,2,8,15). HSV-1 also accounts for 10 to 15% of all genital herpetic infections (3,6,11).…”

“…Transmission of HSV-1 occurs following contact with fluid from vesicular lesions or contact with infected body fluids, such as saliva and genital secretions (4,8,9). Although HSV-1 has historically been acquired primarily in childhood, acquisition of the virus is now often seen during early adulthood (4,8,9).…”