To Determine the Seroprevalence of Herpes Simplex Type 2 (HSV-2) Infection in Pregnant Females in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Genital herpes is a preventable chronic disease. Although most HSV infections are subclinical, clinical disease can be associated with substantial physical and psychosocial morbidity. The clinical manifestations are diverse; hence a suspected diagnosis of HSV should be confirmed by laboratory tests. Aims and Objectives: To determine the seroprevalence of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infection in pregnant females. Materials and Methods: Two Hundread Ninety Nine Serum specimens were screened for HSV-2 infection by detecting IgG class antibodies against HSV-2-specific glycoprotein G-2 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in the department of Microbiology, DMCH, Darbhanga. Results: A seroprevalence of 8.9% was found in our study. Seropositivity was maximum in the age group ≥30 years (22.24%), followed by 26–30 years (9.70%), 21–25 years (2.20%) and ≤20 years (0%).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that type-specific serotesting could be an efficient strategy to diagnose clinically asymptomatic HSV-2 infections.