Prevalence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in pregnant women, and estimated rates of infection.

Abstract

ABSTRACr There has been a recent increase in notifications of genital herpes but it is not known whether this has been reflected in the pregnant population. We have therefore carried out a study to determine the prevalence of herpes simplex antibodies in pregnant women and to estimate the incidence of primary infection. Sera were collected from 3533 women at antenatal clinics and tested for total antibodies to herpes simples virus (HSV), and if positive, for specific antibodies to HSV-2. Estimates of HSV-1 seroprevalence were derived from the HSV-2 seronegative population. HSV-l seroprevalence was nearly 100% in black women born in Africa or the Caribbean and 60-80% in white, Asian and UK born black women. It was lower in women in non-manual employment. HSV-2 seroprevalence was related to age, rising from 0 at age 16 to 40% at age 35 in black women, and to about 10% in Asian and white women. The estimated incidence of primary HSV-2 infection during pregnancy, per 1000 pregnancies, was about 2-4 in Asian women, 5 in white women, and 20 in black women. Estimates of the incidence of neonatal infection were derived from these figures and compared to the nationally reported rates.

Is sexual transmission an important pattern for herpes simplex type 2 virus seroconversion in the Spanish general population?

“…Serological procedures for HSV-2 typing and therefore seroepidemiological studies on HSV-2 have been traditionally limited by cross-reactivity to type common Herpes simplex type 1 antigens (HSV-1) [Corey and Spear, 1986;Mertz, 1993]. Few surveys describing the seroepidemiology of HSV-2 in Spain [Vizcaíno et al, 1987;Nahmias et al, 1990;De Sanjosé et al, 1994] and other European countries [Ades et al, 1989;Nahmias et al, 1990;Kjaer et al, 1990Kjaer et al, , 1993Cowan et al, 1994;Forsgren et al, 1994] have been published. Most of such studies involved non representative samples of the general population and a variety of serological assays, thus providing controversial data which are difficult to interpret.…”

Longitudinal study of toxoplasma seroprevalence in South Yorkshire

“…Horizontal age-stratified serological studies which measure the levels of specific antibody prevalence serve as a good basis for assessing the risk of infection in a community [15,16]. In addition, longitudinal seroepidemiological studies can yield information of temporal change, the findings of which may subsequently aid the interpretation of horizontal surveys [17].…”

HSV-1 and HSV-2 in herpes simplex encephalitis: A study of sixty-four cases in the United Kingdom

“…British studies reported that 22.7% of genito-urinary clinic attenders and 7.6% blood donors had antibodies to HSV-2 [Cowan et al, 1994]. Using samples from a variety of sources, overall rates of 80% for HSV-1 antibodies and 10.4% for HSV-2 antibodies were found by Ades et al [1989]. The 4:1 incidence shown by the studies of Johnson et al [1989] and Nahmias et al [1990] might suggest that 20% of cases of HSE could be due to HSV-2.…”