The epidemiology of genital herpes

OBJECTIVE: Using PubMed and manual search, we have reviewed the main papers published in English since 1990 on the epidemiology of genital HVS infection RESULTS: The seroprevalence of HSV-1 antibodies is extremely high (about 65-80%) in the general population, the higher rates are observed in the United States and in Africa. The seroprevalence for HSV-2 is about one-third, but still represents a common condition. ly. A clinical manifestation of genital Herpes is observed in only 30-50% of seropositive subjects. In regards to the temporal trend, an increase has been observed in the prevalence for HSV-2 antibodies. In addition, the presence of HSV-1 antibodies has been associated with a minor risk of seroconversion for HSV-2. The frequency of seropositivity increases with age and is higher in women, in subjects with a history of sexually transmitted diseases or HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: HSV infection is a common condition, and its frequency increases with age.