SEROPREVALENCE OF HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS IN DERMATOLOGY PATIENTS

Background: Currently there is no published data on herpes simplex virus (HSV) skin infections in Saudi patients in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Objectives: To assess the seroprevalence of HSV among dermatology patients attending the dermatology clinic. Study design: Clinical assessment, serological measurement of HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies using ELISA and an interview-based questionnaire were used. Results: The age of the patients (N=150) ranged from 2 years to 63 years (mean 31 years). The clinical presentation included various dermatological conditions including: eczema, vitiligo, herpetic infections, urticaria, atopic dermatitis, acne, tinea capitis, tinea pedis, pityriasis rosea, hair fall, chicken pox, hirsutism, psoriasis, alopecia etc. 133(88.7%) of the patients had detectable levels of HSV-1 IgG antibodies whereas 4(2.6%) patients had detectable level of HSV-2 IgG antibodies. 2 (1.3%) samples had detectable levels of HSV-1 IgM antibodies and none of the samples had detectable level of HSV-2 IgM antibodies. There was correlation between HSV-1 IgM positivity (N=2) and a clinical diagnosis of herpetic infections. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HSV-1 in this study is high. Both serotypes, HSV-1 and HSV-2 may result in significant morbidity. Assessment of HSV infections will help in the proper management and epidemiological studies.