Seroepidemiology of infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV1 and HSV2) among asymptomatic university students attending Islamic Azad University of Kazeroun, southwest of Iran

Background: Herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are common infectious agents worldwide. Data on prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections are limited in Asia, especially in Iran. Our study aimed on determination of seroepidemiology of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections in asymptomatic healthy students of Islamic Azad University of Kazeroun, Fars province, southwest of Iran. Patients and methods: The study population included 360 students with a mean age of 22.2 years. Demographic data were gathered by a well-designed questionnaire. For serological studies, 5 ml of blood sample was collected and centrifuged. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titer to the HSV-1 and HSV-2. Results: Totally, HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG antibody were positive in 285 (79.2%) and 84 (23.3%) subjects, respectively. The seroprevalence of HSV-2 was higher among females (29.0%) compared with males (17.5%) (p < 0.05), however, there was no significant correlation between gender and HSV-1 seroprevalence. Conclusion: Results confirm a high prevalence of HSV infection. Our findings were in agreement with prior studies in which HSV-2 infection was more prevalent among female subjects. The high prevalence of HSV infection underlines the need for focusing on preventive efforts and education among the population