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Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in former East and West Germany, 1997–1998

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in representative samples of the total former East German (FEG) and total former West German (FWG) populations. Type-specific testing with the HSV-1 (gG1) and HSV-2 (gG2) indirect ELISA was performed on an age- and sex-stratified random subsample of 3,792 sera collected during the 1997–1998 German National Health Survey. Weighted seroprevalence estimates were calculated for the total FEG and FWG populations. The overall age-standardised seroprevalence of HSV-1 was 82.6% in Germany, 85.5% (95%CI, 83.4–87.3%) in FEG and 81.8% (95%CI, 79.9–83.6%) in FWG. The overall seroprevalence of HSV-2 was 13.3% (95%CI, 11.8–14.9) in Germany, 16.5% (95%CI, 14.1–18.9) in FEG and 12.6% (95%CI, 10.7–14.5%) in FWG. The difference between FEG and FWG was largely due to the significantly higher age-adjusted seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in women (but not men) in FEG as compared to FWG. The HSV seroprevalence estimates in this study are consistent with results of previous less representative seroprevalence studies in Germany. Differences in HSV-2 seroprevalence between FEG and FWG suggest differences in sexual behaviour that warrant further investigation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mrs. Ingrid Gabriel for performing the serological testing at the Robert Koch-Institute and Dr. Robin Gopal for completing the in-house-testing at the Enteric, Respiratory, and Neurological Virus Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, London. We thank Dr. Eckard Bergmann from the Robert Koch-Institute for advice on the statistical analysis and Dr. Richard Pebody from the Communicable Disease and Surveillance Centre, London, for his role as coordinator of the EU project to which this study contributed. The MRL Diagnostics test kits were supplied by Glaxo-Wellcome, UK, as part of the funding for a European study on HSV seroprevalence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Robert Koch-Institute, Seestraße 10, 35133, Berlin, Germany

    W. Hellenbrand, O. Hamouda & T. Breuer

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Health Reporting, Robert Koch-Institute, Nordufer 20, 35133, Berlin, Germany

    W. Thierfelder

  3. Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance and Hospital Hygiene, Statens Serum Institute, 5 Artillerivej, 2300, Copenhagen, Denmark

    B. Müller-Pebody

Authors
  1. W. Hellenbrand
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  2. W. Thierfelder
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  3. B. Müller-Pebody
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  4. O. Hamouda
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  5. T. Breuer
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Correspondence to W. Hellenbrand.

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Hellenbrand, W., Thierfelder, W., Müller-Pebody, B. et al. Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in former East and West Germany, 1997–1998. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 24, 131–135 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-005-1286-x

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