Serological prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 amongst GUM clinic attenders in a district general hospital setting.

Our objective was to determine the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 infection amongst genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic attenders at a district general hospital using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA). In a prospective study, heterosexual patients attending the Department of GUM at Trafford General Hospital attending with a new clinical problem and having a blood sample taken for routine syphilis serology had the same sample tested for HSV type 2 antibodies. The prevalence of HSV type 2 seropositivity amongst participants was 9.9% (24/242) for men and 18.7% (46/246) for women. With respect to undiagnosed, asymptomatic infection the seroprevalence was 8.6% and 17% respectively. For those attenders locally resident the seroprevalence was 10.1% and 17.5% respectively, and undiagnosed, asymptomatic infection 8.5% and 17.1% respectively. Although seroprevalence figures in this study are lower than the only previous report in the UK, these results, nevertheless, show that seropositivity is not confined to large urban centres. Patients attending GUM clinics are likely to have high rates of undiagnosed HSV type 2 infection.