J Korean Med Sci.  2007 Dec;22(6):957-962. 10.3346/jkms.2007.22.6.957.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Seroprevalence in Korea: Rapid Increase of HSV-2 Seroprevalence in the 30s in the Southern Part

• Shin HS
• Park JJ
• Chu C
• Song HJ
• Cho KS
• Lee JS
• Kim SS
• Kee MK

• KMID: 1785753
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2007.22.6.957

Abstract

To determine the characteristics of seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection among Korean people, a cross-sectional study was conducted on three groups in 2004. The three groups consisted of the general public who visited public health centers, commercial sex workers (CSWs), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons. Among the general public, HSV-2 seroprevalence rates for age under the 20s, in the 20s, 30s, 40s and the above 22.6%, 32.7% and 32.3%, respectively, which showed rapid increase of the rate in the 30s (p<0.0001). In case of the above of 19 yr old, women (28.0%) was higher than men (21.7%) (p<0.0001). The rate of CSWs (81.6%) was about 10 times higher than that of general women. In case of HIV-infected men (47.6%), the figure was about 2-3 times higher than that of general men. The low rate in the teens and the 20s proved that it is essential to develop sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention programs of education and publicity for them as a precaution measure. This study is the first major study of its kind on HSV-2 and would provide basic data for prevention of STIs including information about target groups subject to vaccination program.

Keyword

HSV-2; HIV; Herpes Genitalis; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Seroprevalence

MeSH Terms

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Antibodies, Viral/*blood
Female
HIV Infections/complications
Herpes Genitalis
Herpesvirus 2, Human/*immunology
Humans
Korea/epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Seroepidemiologic Studies

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Comparison of age-specific HSV-2 seroprevalence rates in four groups.

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