Herpes simplex virus type 1 is the main cause of genital herpes in women of Natal, Brazil

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in sexually active women who participated in the cervical cancer screening program in Natal, Brazil.Study designThe study included 261 sexually active women resident in the metropolitan area of Natal, Brazil and attending a public clinic for cervical screening. From each participant, a sample of exfoliated uterine cervical cells was collected, using a cytobrush which was conditioned in a tube containing a preserving solution (PBS + vancomycin + nystatin) and sent to a laboratory where it was processed for DNA extraction. The samples were analyzed for the presence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNA in separate reactions by PCRs using specific primers.ResultsHSV-1 in genital infection is four times more prevalent than HSV-2 in the population analyzed. The highest prevalence rates for both viruses were found in women aged 31-39 years. We did not observe any association between the presence of both virus serotypes and socio-demographic characteristics in the population studied, nor with some classical risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases.ConclusionsHSV-1 was the major cause of genital infection by Herpes simplex virus in the women included in this study. No association was found between HSV infection and the socio-demographic characteristics or some classical risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases.