Home > Research > Journal reviews >

HSV type-1 as a cause of anogenital herpes: Increase in rates in western Sydney

in

This study provides laboratory evidence for increasing proportions of anogenital herpes caused by HSV-1 in NSW, Australia between 1979 and 2003.

What's known?

  • Anogenital infection with herpes simplex viruses types 1 and 2 is one of the commonest sexually transmitted disease in the world and is responsible for serious physical and psychological consequences.
  • Evidence from United States and Europe suggests that HSV-1 is increasingly associated with genital infection.
  • There are few studies of trends of relative proportions of HSV types 1 and 2 infection in Australia.

What’s new?

Specimens came from general practice centres, sexual health clinics and hospitals in New South Wales.

  • The study was conducted on all the samples received at Department of Virology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), Westmead Hospital.
  • The proportion of anogenital HSV isolates that were type 1 rose between 1979 and 2003, from less than 10% in early 1980s to around 35% in late 1990s and early 2000s.
  • Younger age and female sex were associated with greater proportion of anogenital HSV isolates being type 1
  • The proportion of HSV isolates found to be type 1 has risen more steeply from patients aged 25 years and under since 1989.
  • This study provides laboratory evidence for increasing proportions of anogenital herpes caused by HSV-1 in NSW, Australia between 1979 and 2003.
Research summary
Author(s): 

L J Haddow, B Dave, A Mindel, K A McPhie, C Chung, C Marks, D E Dwyer

Full title: 

Increase in rates of herpes simplex virus type 1 as a cause of anogenital herpes in western Sydney, Australia, between 1979 and 2003

Publication details: 

Sex Transm Infect.2006; 82:255-259

Abstract: 

Backgound/objective: Recent studies suggest that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is becoming more common as a cause for genital herpes, relative to HSV-2. We aimed to calculate trends in HSV type from isolates and serology samples sent to a reference virology laboratory in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: We compared the proportions of HSV-1 and HSV-2 positive samples, adjusting for age and sex of source patient, in three datasets: anogenital isolates from 1979 to 1988; anogenital isolates from 1989 to 2003; and HSV type specific IgM seropositivity from 1994 to 2003.

Results: The number of specimens in each analysis was 17 512, 4359, and 497, respectively. There was a progressive rise in the proportions of typed specimens being HSV-1 in all analyses. The proportion of isolates that were HSV-1 ranged from 3% in 1980 to 41% in 2001. Female sex and age under 25 were associated with a greater proportion of HSV-1 isolates in both time periods. In the period 1979–88, comparing the proportions of HSV-1 and HSV-2 gave an odds ratio (OR) per additional year of 1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20 to 1.27; p<0.005) after adjustment for age and sex. In the period 1989–2003 there was a steeper rise in the proportion of isolates that were HSV-1 in samples from younger individuals (OR per year 1.17, 1.12 to 1.22) compared to those over 25 (OR per year 1.06, 1.03 to 1.08). The rise in the proportion of IgM seropositive results reactive for HSV-1 compared to HSV-2 gave an OR of 1.36 per year (1.26 to 1.47; p<0.005).

Conclusions: These data suggest that HSV-1 has become more common as a cause of anogenital herpes in NSW.

More information
Web links: 
Abstract
Full text (requires subscription)
  • share

Australian Herpes Management Forum, c/- STIRC, Marian Villa, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia.

Telephone: +61 (2) 8230 3843 - Fax: +61 (2) 9845 6287

Contact AHMF by email - ACN 096 346 477 - ABN 85 096 346 477