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Prevalence of, and risk factors for, HSV-2 antibodies in sexually transmitted disease patients, healthy pregnant females, blood donors and medical students in Tanzania and Norway

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2005

A. NILSEN ,
D. MWAKAGILE ,
H. MARSDEN ,
N. LANGELAND ,
R. MATRE  and
L. HAARR
A. NILSEN
Affiliation:
Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Norway
D. MWAKAGILE
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
H. MARSDEN
Affiliation:
MCR Virology Unit, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
N. LANGELAND
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Norway
R. MATRE
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Gade Institute, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Norway
L. HAARR
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Gade Institute, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Norway
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Abstract

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The prevalence of specific HSV-2 antibodies was studied in Tanzanian and Norwegian sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients (1095) and non-STD patients (488). Correlates to demographic and behavioural factors were evaluated. Seropositivity was determined by the non-commercial peptide-55 enzyme-linked immunoassay. The prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies was 70% in Tanzanian and 17% in Norwegian STD patients, 35% in Tanzanian blood donors and pregnant women, and 4, 7 and 14% in Norwegian medical students, blood donors and pregnant women respectively. A higher HSV-2 prevalence was associated with female sex, increasing age, previous STDs, history of genital HSV infection, coitarchal age (age at first intercourse) <15 years and HIV seropositivity. Compared to previous data, the prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies in Tanzanian STD patients has increased remarkably. In Norwegian STD patients our results are consistent with, or lower than, the prevalence previously reported in Western Europe. Demographic rather than behavioural factors were associated with higher prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies in STD patients.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 133 , Issue 5 , October 2005 , pp. 915 - 925
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press