rss
Sex Transm Infect 2006;82:69-74 doi:10.1136/sti.2004.012989
  • HSV

Sexual behaviour and condom use among individuals with a history of symptomatic genital herpes

  1. R K Rana1,
  2. J M Pimenta1,
  3. D M Rosenberg2,
  4. T Warren3,
  5. S Sekhin4,
  6. S F Cook5,
  7. N J Robinson1,
  8. on behalf of the Valaciclovir HSV Transmission Study Group*
  1. 1Worldwide Epidemiology, GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, Greenford, UK
  2. 2Worldwide Epidemiology, Asia-Pacific GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, Singapore
  3. 3Westover Heights Clinic, Portland, OR, USA
  4. 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Smolensk State Medical Academy, Smolensk, Russia
  5. 5Worldwide Epidemiology, GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Jeanne M Pimenta
 Worldwide Epidemiology, GlaxoSmithKline, Greenford Road, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 0BE, UK; jeanne.m.pimenta{at}gsk.com
  • Accepted 27 April 2005

Abstract

Objectives: This study describes the differences in sexual behaviour in individuals with genital herpes (GH) during “symptomatic” and “asymptomatic” periods of the disease.

Methods: A cross sectional questionnaire was undertaken by 1193 individuals attending clinics between 1998 and 2001. All participants in this analysis were in heterosexual, monogamous partnerships, self identified with a history of symptomatic GH and with confirmed HSV-2 infection.

Results: Sexual activity reported during asymptomatic v symptomatic periods of GH was 98% v 40% (p<0.001), 76% v 29% (p<0.001), and 25% v 11% (p<0.001) for vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse, respectively, while “always” condom use during asymptomatic and symptomatic periods was 20% v 35% (p<0.001), 2% v 7% (p<0.001), and 10% v 15% (p = 0.131), respectively. The proportion of individuals who either abstained from vaginal intercourse or “always” used condoms was 21% v 74% (p<0.001), for asymptomatic v symptomatic periods. Multivariable analyses indicated that factors associated with engaging in intercourse during symptomatic periods of GH included current intrauterine device use (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.46 to 6.02); living in Latin America (aOR = 2.16, CI = 1.19 to 3.91) or Europe (aOR = 1.67, CI = 1.21 to 2.28), compared with North America; previous sexually transmitted disease (aOR = 1.42, CI = 1.08 to 1.89); a higher number of sexual acts per month (aOR = 1.09, CI = 1.06 to 1.11); and a higher number of GH recurrences per year (aOR = 1.08, CI = 1.03 to 1.12).

Conclusions: These data indicate that the majority of people with GH either abstained from intercourse or “always” used condoms during symptomatic periods of GH. However, condom use was relatively low during asymptomatic periods in comparison with symptomatic periods. These results highlight that further education on GH prevention is warranted, particularly for symptomatic periods.

Footnotes

  • ↵* Members of the group are list at end of text.

  • Financial support: Financial support for this study was provided by GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development. RKR, JMP, DMR, SFC, NJR are all employed by GSK.

Responses to this article

  • Herpes = condoms for life?
    • Dason E Evans,
    • Jill Zelin
    Sex Transm Infect published online April 13, 2006

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.