Correlates of positive HSV-2 results among patients presenting for genital herpes testing

Objectives: Identify correlates of positive HSV-2 results among people volunteering to be tested for HSV-2.

Methodology: Cross-sectional study conducted from May 2005–January 2007 at an urban STD clinic and college campus. Participants were sexually active, over age 18, and had not been previously diagno sed with genital herpes (N=482). Participants completed a self-administered survey including a 5-item scale assessing fear of herpes (á=.83) after which they underwent HSV-2 antibody testing (Fisher Sure-Vue HSV-2 Kit).

Results: 26.1% tested positive for HSV-2. African-Americans were more likely to test positive than Caucasians (P=.0001) as were older participants (defined as age 24 or more; P=.0001), women (P=0001), and participants from the STD clinic (P=.0001). Participants who tested positive had lower fear of herpes than those who tested negative (P=.0001); additionally, they had fewer partners (P=.020), were more likely to be in a married or partnered relationship (P=.008), to be experiencing symptoms at time of testing (P=.0001), and to believe that they were already infected with herpes (P=.003). Condom use was not associated with positive HSV-2 results (P=.689), nor was unprotected oral sex (P=.097) or avoiding sex because of concern about STDs (P=.067). In multivariate logistic regression, six variables retained significance: age (P=.006), clinic recruitment location (P=.006), low fear of herpes (P=.002), race (P=.011), gender (P=.008), and symptoms at time of testing (P=.0001).

Conclusions: Findings suggest that women and African-Americans are a population at risk for HSV-2. Interestingly, participants who were older or had a low fear of herpes were at higher risk for HSV-2.