Dijk, G. van

Prevalence and association between herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2-specific antibodies in attendees at a sexually transmitted disease clinic (Article)

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 was determined in 1993 and 1998 in a randomly selected study group of 1024 and 654 attendees, respectively, at the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic of the University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands. Correlations of HSV-1 and HSV-2 seropositivity were investigated. The relationship between HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies was also studied. METHODS: Data were collected in a cross-sectional study from February 1993 until February 1994 and from January 1998 until December 1998. Glycoprotein G (gG) HSV type specific serum IgG was determined. RESULTS: Seroprevalence of HSV-1 was 68% versus 59% (1993 versus 1998, chi(2)-test P < 0.001), of HSV-2 it was 30% versus 22% (1993 versus 1998, chi(2)-test P < 0.001). Using logistic regression analyses, HSV-1 and HSV-2 seropositivity were significantly associated with age and ethnicity in both groups. In 1993, HSV-1 seropositivity also correlated with lower level of education and female gender, whereas in 1998 it correlated with 'number of sexual partners in the past 6 months' and 'present diagnosis of STD'. In both groups, HSV-2 seropositivity was also more prevalent in females and related to sexual lifestyle variables. In an exposure-disease model, HSV-1 seropositivity was not correlated with HSV-2 seropositivity (odds ratio 1993 = 1.1, 95% CI : 0.8--1.7; odds ratio in 1998 = 1.0, 95% CI : 0.5--1.8). CONCLUSIONS: Seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 is falling among STD clinic attendees in Rotterdam. A changing pattern of risk factors for HSV-1 seropositivity indicates increasing sexual transmission of HSV-1. Seropositivity for HSV-2 correlated with known risk factors. A previous HSV-1 infection does not reduce susceptibility to subsequent genital HSV-2 infections.

Comparison of two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and one rapid immunoblot for detection of herpes simplex virus type 2-specific serum antibodies. (Article)

1998-01-01T00:00:00Z

Comparison of two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and one rapid immunoblot assay for detection of herpes simplex virus type 2-specific antibodies in serum.

Comparison of two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and one rapid immunoblot assay for detection of herpes simplex virus type 2-specific antibodies in serum (Article)

1998-01-01T00:00:00Z

The sensitivities and specificities of three immunoassays for the detection of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in serum, including the one-strip rapid immunoblot assay (RIBA; Chiron Corporation) and two indirect enzyme immunosorbent assays (EIA; Gull Laboratories and Centocor), were compared by testing a panel of 1,250 serum samples from individuals attending an outpatient clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. A qualitative agreement among the three assays was observed with 1,080 serum samples (86.4%); 291 of the serum samples (23.3%) were positive, 789 samples (63.1%) were negative, and 170 serum samples (13.6%) gave a discordant result. Results were considered conclusive when a concordant result was obtained with two of three assays. The sensitivities and specificities of the RIBA, the Gull EIA, and the Centocor EIA proved to be 99.2, 99.7, and 89.9% and 97.1, 96.7, and 99.3%, respectively. These results indicate that the Chiron RIBA and the Gull EIA are especially useful and reliable for the detection of HSV-2-specific antibodies in serum.