National Seroprevalence and Trends in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in the United States, 1976-1994

• Published in: Sexually transmitted diseases 2004-12, Vol.31 (12), p.753-760
• Main Authors: SCHILLINGER, JULIA ANN, XU, FUJIE, STERNBERG, MAYA RAQUEL, ARMSTRONG, GREGORY LEE, LEE, FRANCIS KWOKSHUN, NAHMIAS, ANDRE JOSEPH, MCQUILLAN, GERALDINE MARIE, ST. LOUIS, MICHAEL ERNEST, MARKOWITZ, LAURI ELLEN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Black or African American; Black People - statistics & numerical data; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; General aspects; Herpes Simplex - blood; Herpes Simplex - epidemiology; Herpes Simplex - ethnology; Herpes Simplex - etiology; Herpes simplex virus 1; Herpes viruses; Herpesvirus 1, Human - immunology; Herpesvirus 1, Human - isolation & purification; History; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nutrition Surveys; Seroepidemiologic Studies; United States - epidemiology; White People - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0148-5717; 1537-4521
• DOI: 10.1097/01.olq.0000145852.43262.c3

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate national seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), describe trends in seroprevalence, and examine correlates of infection. Goal: The goal of this study was to measure the burden of HSV-1 infection in the U.S. population. Study: We tested serum samples for HSV-1 antibody and analyzed questionnaire data collected for the second and third National Health and Nutrition Surveys (NHANES II, 1976-80; NHANES III, 1988-94). Seroprevalence estimates were weighted to represent the total U.S. population. Results: At the time of NHANES III, two thirds (68%) of the U.S. population 12 years and older had HSV-1 antibody. Prevalence increased with age and varied by race/ethnicity; the majority of persons in all race/ethnic groups were HSV-1-seropositive by age 30. Overall, the national seroprevalence of HSV-1 decreased nonsignificantly by 2% in the years between NHANES II and III; decreases in HSV-1 seroprevalence in some population subgroups were balanced by increases in other groups. Conclusions: There was no overall change in the seroprevalence of HSV-1 in the U.S. population between NHANES II and III.