Antenatal seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in Canadian women - HSV-2 prevalence increases throughout the reproductive years

Background: This study sought to provide the first population estimates of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence in Canada. Goal: To measure the antenatal seroprevalence of HSV-2 antibodies in reprod uctive age women. Study Design: An anonymous unlinked seroprevalence study used stored sera c ollected from pregnant women in British Columbia during 1999, Randomized sa mpling within age strata selected a total of 1215 subjects, ages 15 to 44 y ears, Serologic testing used the Gull Meridian Test. Overall prevalence was directly standardized to the 1999 Canadian female population, Results: The age-adjusted prevalence for HSV-2 was 17.3% (95% CI, 15.2-19.4 ). Prevalence ranged from 7.1% (ages, 15-19 gears) to 28.1% (ages, 40-44 ye ars), with the largest increases after the age of 24 years. Conclusions: The HSV-2 seroprevalence among pregnant women in British Colum bia is similar to that in the United States and other countries. Seropreval ence continues to rise through the later reproductive gears. This observati on mag relate to continued transmission, an age cohort effect, or both.