Inapparent genital herpes simplex virus infection in college women

Abstract

During a six-month period, 600 gynecological samples were collected from 585 women with typical herpes lesions, women with non-herpes symptoms (ie, vaginitis, moniliasis, trichomoniasis, etc), and normal women seen at the student health center gynecological clinic and processed for herpes simplex virus (HSV) isolation. From these specimens, 29 samples from 25 of the 585 women (4.3%) were positive for HSV. When these isolates were typed using plaque diameter in chick cells, heat stability of viral thymidine kinase (T.K.), and restriction endonuclease patterns it was found that 18 samples (15 patients or 60%) were HSV-2 and 11 samples (10 patients or 40%) were HSV-1. Inapparent HSV infections constituted 20.0% of the virologically confirmed samples (5 of 25 patients) and represented 0.9% of the total patients studied (5 of 585). The inapparent infections were about equally divided between the two HSV types (2 were HSV-2 and 3 were HSV-1), and 4 of 5 occurred in the presence of clinically diagnosed monilia.

Asymptomatic Reactivation of Herpes Simplex Virus in Women after the First Episode of Genital Herpes

“…It should be recognized, however, that asymptomatic and symptomatic reactivation occurred during all periods sampled. Although our current cohort exhibited only a few asymptomatic shedding events late after firstepisode disease, the number of days sampled during later intervals were small, and our previous studies and those of other groups clearly indicate that asymptomatic reactivation of HSV in the genital region can occur in those who have longstanding infection of the genitourinary tract (14,(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27).…”

The effect of HIV, behavioural change, and STD syndromic management on STD epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa: simulations of Uganda

“…In between recurrences, a low continuous level of infectivity was assumed, which represented the regular occurrence of episodes of subclinical shedding in the majority of HSV-2 infectees. [57][58][59][60][61] By the end of the "early latent stage" patients were assumed no longer to suffer recurrences nor to be infectious, but to remain seropositive for life.…”

Incidence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in penile lesions of college men

“…Recent studies have indicated that HSV-1 is being detected with increasing frequency in female genitalia [Kalinyak et al, 1977;McCaughtry et al, 1982;Balachandran et al, 19821. In two previous reports we examined the HSV type distribution in a group of college females and found HSV-I rates of 33% and 40%, respectively [Kalinyak et al, 1977;McCaughtry et al, 19821.…”

“…A limited number of studies have been done on penile herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. This is probably because interest has been directed toward the more serious consequences of the disease in the female, including the risk of neonatal infection in the birth canal at delivery [Naib et al, 1970;Nahmias et al, 1971;Harger et al, 19831 and the potential association of this virus with vulvar and cervical cancer [Rawls et al, 1973;Kaufman et al, 1981;Cabral et al, 19821. In those studies of genital HSV in males that have been done, it has been reported that the virus was isolated from various urogenital tissue [Centifanto et al, 19723 and from the urethra of asymptomatic males [Nahmias et al, 19761. In two studies in which the virus was typed, all samples were found to be HSV-2 [Centifanto et al, 1972;Adams et al, 19761, while in a third study 3% of the isolates were HSV-1 [Nahmias et al, 19761. In studies on single cases, the penile specimen in one instance was fou?d to contain both HSV-I and HSV-2 [Fife et al, 19831, while in another instance HSV-1 was responsible for severe balanitis [Powers et al, 19821. Recent studies have indicated that HSV-1 is being detected with increasing frequency in female genitalia [Kalinyak et al, 1977;McCaughtry et al, 1982;Balachandran et al, 19821. In two previous reports we examined the HSV type distribution in a group of college females and found HSV-I rates of 33% and 40%, respectively [Kalinyak et al, 1977;McCaughtry et al, 19821. However, the HSV-I and HSV-2 distribution in penile lesions in college males from this population has not been reported.…”