Prevalence and association between herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2-specific antibodies in attendees at a sexually transmitted disease clinic

Background Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-I) and HSV-2 was determined in 1993 and 1998 in a randomly selected study group of 1024 and 654 attendees, respectively, at the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic of the University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands. Corr elations of HSV-1 and HSV-2 seropositivity were investigated. The relations hip between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies was also studied. Methods Data were collected in a cross-sectional study from February 1993 u ntil February 1994 and from January 1998 until December 1998. Glycoprotein G (gG) HSV type specific serum IgG was determined. Results Seroprevalence of HSV-1 was 68% versus 5$% (1993 versus 1998, chi ( 2)-test P < 0.001), of HSV-2 it was 30% versus 22% (1993 versus 1998, chi ( 2)-test p < 0.001). Using logistic regression analyses, HSV-1 and HSV-2 ser opositivity were significantly associated with age and ethnicity in both gr oups. In 1993, HSV-1 seropositivity also correlated with lower level of edu cation and female Sender, whereas in 1998 it correlated with 'number of sex ual partners in the past G months' and 'present diagnosis of STD'. In both groups, HSV-2 seropositivity was also more prevalent in females and related to sexual lifestyle variables. In an exposure-disease model, HSV-1 seropos itivity was not correlated with HSV-2 seropositivity (odds ratio 1993 = 1.1 , 95% CI:0.8-1.7; odds ratio in 1998 = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.5-1.8). Conclusions Seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 is falling among STD clinic a ttendees in Rotterdam. A changing pattern of risk factors for HSV-1 scropos itivity indicates increasing sexual transmission of HSV-1. Seropositivity f or HSV-2 correlated with known risk factors. A previous HSV-1 infection doe s not reduce susceptibility to subsequent genital HSV-2 infections.