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Sex Transm Infect 2002;78:346-348 doi:10.1136/sti.78.5.346
  • Adolescent sexual health

Herpes simplex virus type 1 infection: a sexually transmitted infection of adolescence?

  1. F M Cowan1,
  2. A Copas1,
  3. A M Johnson1,
  4. R Ashley2,
  5. L Corey2,
  6. A Mindel3
  1. 1Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, UK
  2. 2University of Washington, Seattle, USA
  3. 3University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Frances Cowan, Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Mortimer Market Centre, off Capper Street, London WC1E 6AU, UK;
 frances{at}uz-ucsf.co.zw
  • Accepted 12 August 2002

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the factors associated with antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).

Design: Cross sectional study with HSV-1 antibody testing performed by University of Washington western blot assay.

Setting: Central London STD clinic (1990–1) and central London blood donation centre (1992).

Participants: Representative sample of 869 new and rebooked GUM clinic attenders and 1494 consecutive blood donors.

Results: The prevalence of HSV-1 antibody among clinic attenders was 60.4% (95% CI 57.0 to 63.7) and among donors was 46.1% (95% CI 43.5 to 48.7). HSV-1 antibody was independently associated with increasing age in both populations (p<0.001). Among clinic attenders, HSV-1 was less common among heterosexual men than women and homosexual men (p<0.005), and was more common among black people (p=0.001) and those of lower socioeconomic status (p=0.05). Among blood donors, being single rather than married was independently associated with HSV-1 infection (p=0.03). Early age at first intercourse was strongly associated with presence of HSV-1 in both populations. The adjusted odds of HSV-1 among GUM clinic attenders was 0.37 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.65) for someone aged 20 at first intercourse compared with someone aged ≤15. Among blood donors, those aged 20 had an adjusted odds of 0.64 (95% CI 0.39 to 1.05) compared with someone aged 15. HSV-1 was not associated with increasing number of lifetime partners after adjustment for other factors.

Conclusions: Genital herpes due to HSV-1 antibody is increasing in the United Kingdom, particularly among young people. In this study we found that HSV-1 was strongly associated with early age of first sexual intercourse, which may reflect the sexual practices of people initiating sex in this age group.

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