Prevalence of Herpes simplex virus in pregnant women in Yopougon (Cote d'Ivoire).

A transversal survey on 150 pregnant women was carried out at the P.M.I. ce nter in Yopougon, in order to determine the prevalence of genital herpes an d to estimate the frequency of asymptomatic excreting of Herpes simplex vir us (HSV) in pregnant woman. The viral isolation and the direct immuno-fluor escence (IF) assay of the genital secretions were found to have a prevalenc e of 12,7%. Among the women who tested positive (the majority of whom were from modest socio-economic origin and young), 10% had antecedents of genita l herpes, 2,7% showed an asymptomatic excretion and 36,8% had an acute epis ode during their pregnancy including a primary infection in the 20th week. In these women an unexpected recurrence will constitute the major risk for maternal transmission and an emergence of neonatal herpes.