This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (117)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in JAMA

Addressing a Global Problem

Lawrence Corey, MD; H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

JAMA. 2000;283:791-794.

Genital herpes can be caused by herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) or, less commonly, by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). With a seroprevalence of antibodies to HSV-2 of 22% in the general population, genital herpes is 1 of the 3 most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. A central issue in the public health problem of genital herpes is the high proportion of genital HSV infections that are unrecognized by both patients and clinicians. Persons who are HSV-2 seropositive may be symptomatic but nevertheless fail to recognize genital herpes; they serve as reservoirs for transmission. Physicians and patients must be aware of the subclinical presentation of genital herpes and the potential these patients have for transmitting HSV. Serious consequences of HSV infection include neonatal herpes and increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Recommendations to physicians for prevention include using type-specific tests for HSV when screening for other STDs and testing for HSV when evaluating patients with genital ulcers. Researchers must evaluate the performance of type-specific tests and strategies to prevent transmission.

Author Affiliations: Program in Infectious Diseases, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Dr Corey), the Departments of Laboratory Medicine (Dr Corey) and Medicine (Drs Corey and Handsfield), University of Washington School of Medicine, and Public Health—Seattle and King County (Dr Handsfield), Seattle, Wash.

RELATED ARTICLE

February 9, 2000
JAMA. 2000;283(6):817-818.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Improved Performance of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays and the Effect of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection on the Serologic Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 in Rakai, Uganda
Gamiel et al.
CVI 2008;15:888-890.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prevalence of Antibodies against Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 in Children and Young People in an Urban Region in Tanzania.
Kasubi et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2006;44:2801-2807.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Valacyclovir prophylaxis to prevent recurrent herpes at delivery: a randomized clinical trial.
Sheffield et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2006;108:141-147.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Real-Time PCR Quantification of Genital Shedding of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Women Coinfected with HSV and HIV
Legoff et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2006;44:423-432.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The psychosocial impact of serological herpes simplex type 2 testing in an urban HIV clinic
Meyer et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2005;81:309-315.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Performance of Two Commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Kits Using Recombinant Glycoprotein G2 Antigen for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Specific Antibodies
Reddy et al.
CVI 2005;12:359-360.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Ethics of screening for asymptomatic herpes virus type 2 infection
Krantz et al.
BMJ 2004;329:618-621.
FULL TEXT  

Genital Herpes
Kimberlin and Rouse
NEJM 2004;350:1970-1977.
FULL TEXT  

Performance of a Commercial, Type-Specific Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2-Specific Antibodies in Ugandans
Laeyendecker et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2004;42:1794-1796.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A population based study of herpes simplex virus 2 seroprevalence in rural Costa Rica
Rodriguez et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2003;79:460-465.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Acyclovir Prophylaxis to Prevent Herpes Simplex Virus Recurrence at Delivery: A Systematic Review
Sheffield et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2003;102:1396-1403.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Seroepidemiological study of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in Brazil, Estonia, India, Morocco, and Sri Lanka
Cowan et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2003;79:286-290.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Comparison of Washing and Swabbing Procedures for Collecting Genital Fluids To Assess Cervicovaginal Shedding of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 DNA
Ndjoyi-Mbiguino et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2003;41:2662-2664.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Longitudinal Reliability of Focus Glycoprotein G-Based Type-Specific Enzyme Immunoassays for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 in Women
Cherpes et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2003;41:671-674.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Acyclovir-Resistant Genital Herpes Among Persons Attending Sexually Transmitted Disease and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Clinics
Reyes et al.
Arch Intern Med 2003;163:76-80.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Regional Distribution of Antibodies to Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 in Men and Women in Ontario, Canada
Howard et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2003;41:84-89.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The potential role of suppressive therapy for sex partners in the prevention of neonatal herpes: a health economic analysis
Barnabas et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2002;78:425-429.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

An evidence based approach to testing for antibody to herpes simplex virus type 2
Copas et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2002;78:430-434.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection in the general French population
Malkin et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2002;78:201-203.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Herpes Simplex Virus Vectors Elicit Durable Immune Responses in the Presence of Preexisting Host Immunity
Brockman and Knipe
J. Virol. 2002;76:3678-3687.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Evaluation of Confirmatory Strategies for Detection of Type-Specific Antibodies against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
Eing et al.
J. Clin. Microbiol. 2002;40:407-413.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sorting out the new HSV type specific antibody tests
Ashley
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2001;77:232-237.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Recent advances: Sexually transmitted infections
Gilson and Mindel
BMJ 2001;322:1160-1164.
FULL TEXT