A sero-epidemiological study of herpes virus type 1 and 2 infection in Israel

In order to obtain data on the prevalence and incidence of herpes virus type 2 (HSV₂) infection in selected populations of women and to identify groups that might benefit from routine prenatal screening, an epidemiological study was conducted during the period 1984-1990, which showed HSV₂ seroprevalence to be 2.8%. Due to the worldwide increase of over 30% of HSV₂ infection in the past two decades, a second study was performed during the period 1 January 1998-31 December 1999. Four different population groups were studied: 172 children aged 6 months to 17 years (group 1), 716 adults, men and women aged 18-95 (group 2), 200 women aged 30-67 who participated in the first survey and were re-examined in 1999 in the second survey (group 3), and a prevalence group of 155 parturient women from six different delivery rooms (group 4). Among the healthy 716 males and females HSV₂ seroprevalence was 4.5%. When analyzed by subgroup, HSV₂ seroprevalence rose from 2.3% in the 18-30 years subgroup to 6.5% in the 30-50 years subgroup and to 7.3% in the 51-70 years subgroup, and then declined to 2.4% after age 70 years. In the 200 women re-examined, HSV₂ seroprevalence was 7.7% with a 0.55% HSV₂ sero incidence per annum. In the prevalence group HSV₂ seroprevalence was 4.5%. Sera from the 1223 participants of all four groups were also screened for HSV₁ infection. HSV₁ antibody was present in 22% of children aged 6 months-1 year, in 60% at 21 years and in 87% at age 70 years. The data support the conclusion that in Israel there is no justification for routine prenatal HSV₂ screening in the healthy female population.