Clinical and virological features of herpes genitalis in Japanese women.

We report herein clinical and virological findings in 35 Japanese women with a confirmed herpes genitalis. The frequency of herpes genitalis was 0.24% in our obstetrical and gynecological outpatient clinic, while that in cancer screening clinics was 0.01%. Eighty percent of all patients were between 20 and 49 years of age (median age of 38.5 years). Genital herpes was detected more frequently in summer and autumn. Virus isolations were carried out in 20 patients and 13 were positive (65.0%). Of 13 genital isolates with positive cultures, 7 (53.8%) were identified as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and 6 (46.2%) as herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Two virgins were diagnosed virologically and cytologically as having progenital herpes, and in these 2 women, HSV-1 was isolated by the virus isolations. Lack of antibodies to either virus was higher in HSV-1 type infection. These studies together with previous findings show that both clinical and virological features of genital herpes differ between Japanese and Caucasian or black women. These differences are attributed to some extent to sexual patterns of behavior in the different races.