Transmission of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in a prospective cohort of HIV-negative gay men
Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 were commonly sexually transmitted, and there were more HSV-1 than HSV-2 seroconversions.
What's known?
- HSV-1 has become an increasingly common cause of clinical anogenital herpes in developed countries, including Australia.
- It has been postulated that lower rates of HSV-1 acquisition during childhood and increasing rates of orogenital sex practices may explain this finding.
- Epidemiological studies of HSV-2 have shown this virus to be more common in homosexually active men, and they have reported an independent association with HIV acquisition in this population.
What’s new?
- This study examined the seroepidemiological profile of and risk factors for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections in a longitudinal study of gay men in Sydney, Australia.
- Study participants were men in the Health in Men (HIM) cohort study who were recruited from June 2001 through December 2004.
- Sexual behaviours were examined as risk factors for prevalent and incident HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections in a community-based cohort of 1427 HIV-negative gay men in Australia.
- All the eligible study participants underwent annual face to face interview and telephonic interviews every six months with annual collection of blood samples.
- The prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 at baseline was 75% and 23%, respectively.
- The rate of prevalent infection with HSV-1, as well as the rate of prevalent infection with HSV-2, was much lower in individuals < 25 years of age, and each type of infection was associated with a higher number of both male and female sex partners.
- Among participants who were susceptible to infection, the incidence rates for HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection were 5.58 and 1.45 cases per 100 person-years, respectively.
- Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 were commonly sexually transmitted, and there were more HSV-1 than HSV-2 seroconversions.
- Authors stated that public-health strategies targeted against anogenital herpes increasingly need to take into account the importance of HSV-1 infection.
