Epidemiology of herpes simplex

The epidemiology of herpes simplex is of substantial epidemiologic and public health interest. Worldwide, the rate of infection with herpes simplex virus—counting both HSV-1 and HSV-2—is around 90%.[1] Although many people infected with HSV develop labial or genital lesions (herpes simplex), the majority are either undiagnosed or display no physical symptoms—individuals with no symptoms are described as asymptomatic or as having subclinical herpes.[2]

In many infections, the first symptom a person will have of their own infection is the horizontal transmission to a sexual partner or the vertical transmission of neonatal herpes to a newborn at term. Since most asymptomatic individuals are unaware of their infection, they are considered at high risk for spreading HSV. Many studies have been performed around the world to estimate the numbers of individuals infected with HSV-1 and HSV-2 by determining if they have developed antibodies against either viral species.[3]

This information provides population prevalence of HSV viral infections in individuals with or without active disease. Note that there are population subgroups that are more vulnerable for HSV infections, such as cancer chemotherapy patients.[4]

Seroprevalence estimates for HSV-1 and HSV-2[3]
Location Year(s) Prevalence (%)
HSV-1 HSV-2
Total Female Male
Africa
Benin 1997–8 – 30 12
Cameroon 1997–8 – 46–51 24–27
Central African Republic 1998–9 99 82 –
Eritrea 1995 84–97 23 24–27
The Gambia 1998–9 – 29–32 5
Kenya 1997–8 – 68 35
Mali[5] 1991–7 93 43 –
Morocco[5] 1991–7 99 26 –
South Africa 1999 – 53 17
Tanzania 1992 – 42 19
Uganda 1989–93 91 71 36
Zambia 1997–8 – 55 36
Zimbabwe 1993–8 – 67 36-53
Asia
Bangladesh 1996–8 46# 8–14 –
China 1987–95 – 18–29 17
Israel 1998–9 70 5 4
Japan 1985–93 50–60 1–17 2
Jordan <2000 – 41 53
South Korea[6] 2004 – 28 22
Philippines 1991–3 – 9 –
Syria 1995–8 80–100 0 0–1
Thailand[3][5] 1991–7 51 35 15
Turkey 1991–2 97 42 –
Australasia
Australia <1992–8 79–80 11–15 -
New Zealand 1993–8 – 4–15 3–7
Central/South America
Brazil 1990–7 – 23–42 –
Colombia[5] 1985-97 89 57 -
Costa Rica 1984–5 – 39 –
Haiti <1992 – 54 –
Mexico 1992–7 – 30 –
Peru[5] 1991–7 92 36 –
Europe
Bulgaria[7] 1999 84 15->40 15-30
Denmark 1986 76 31 –
Finland 1966–89 – 26–31 –
Germany 1996–7 87 15 11
Greenland 1986 98 68 –
Italy 1981–8 81–93 1–5 0–5
Norway 1992–4 79 27 –
Spain 1992–3 79 4 4
Sweden 1989–93 41# 21–33 –
Switzerland 1997 65–87 22 11
UK 1984–95 69–78 5 3
North America
Canada 1999 57 13 –
United States 1988–94 68* 26* 18*
# in children
* Ages 12-70
  1. ^ Wald, Anna; Corey, Lawrence (2007). "Chapter 36: Persistence in the population: epidemiology, transmission". Human Herpesviruses: Biology, Therapy, and Immunoprophylaxis. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-82714-0.
  2. ^ Handsfield HH (2000). "Public Health Strategies to Prevent Genital Herpes: Where Do We Stand?". Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2 (1): 25–30. doi:10.1007/s11908-000-0084-y. PMID 11095834. S2CID 41426466.
  3. ^ a b c Smith JS, Robinson NJ (2002). "Age-specific prevalence of infection with herpes simplex virus types 2 and 1: a global review". J. Infect. Dis. 186 (Suppl 1): S3–28. doi:10.1086/343739. PMID 12353183.
  4. ^ Elad S, Zadik Y, Hewson I, et al. (August 2010). "A systematic review of viral infections associated with oral involvement in cancer patients: a spotlight on Herpesviridea". Support Care Cancer. 18 (8): 993–1006. doi:10.1007/s00520-010-0900-3. PMID 20544224. S2CID 2969472.
  5. ^ a b c d e Patnaik P, Herrero R, Morrow RA, et al. (2007). "Type-specific seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 and associated risk factors in middle-aged women from 6 countries: the IARC multicentric study". Sex Transm Dis. 34 (12): 1019–24. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0b013e31811f4118. PMID 18080353. S2CID 16278674.
  6. ^ Shin HS, Park JJ, Chu C, et al. (2007). "Herpes simplex virus type 2 seroprevalence in Korea: rapid increase of HSV-2 seroprevalence in the 30s in the southern part". J. Korean Med. Sci. 22 (6): 957–62. doi:10.3346/jkms.2007.22.6.957. PMC 2694633. PMID 18162706.
  7. ^ Pebody RG, Andrews N, Brown D, et al. (2004). "The seroepidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 in Europe". Sex Transm Infect. 80 (3): 185–91. doi:10.1136/sti.2003.005850. PMC 1744847. PMID 15170000.