Herpes Simplex Type 1 Genital Infections
George R Kinghorn

View Article	Download Article

Summary

The proportion of first-episode genital herpes caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasing. In those populations of Northern Europe and Japan with high adult morbidity from genital HSV-1 infections, only a minority of individuals acquire oro-labial HSV-1 infections in childhood. In these locations, among women between the ages of 15-30, rates of HSV-1 acquisition exceed those of HSV-2, and there is a preponderance of neonatal herpes cases caused by HSV-1. Although the clinical manifestations of newly acquired genital herpes infection are similar, the rates of symptomatic recurrence and asymptomatic shedding are significantly less with HSV-1 as compared with HSV-2. Nevertheless, controlling the spread of genital herpes will require vaccines which are effective against both viral types to be administered to young people before they become sexually active.