HSV-2 incidence by sex over four age periods to age 38 in a birth cohort | 2014
Dickson, N., Righarts, A., van Roode, ... Show all » T., Paul, C., Taylor, J., Cunningham, A.L. « Hide
Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2014, 90(3), 143-145.
http://sti.bmj.com/content/90/3/243.full
Our ref: RO652
Show abstract » Objectives: To examine herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) incidence over four periods to age 38 in a birth cohort, and to compare risks for men and women, taking into account sexual behaviour. Methods: At ages 21, 26, 32 and 38, participants in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study were invited to provide serum for HSV-2 serology, and information on sexual behaviour. HSV-2 incidence rates were calculated for four age periods, and comparisons made by sex and period, taking into account number of sexual partners. Results: By age 38, 17.3% of men and 26.8% of women had ever been seropositive for HSV-2. Incidence peaked for women from age 21 to 26 (19.1 per 1000 person-years) and men from age 26 to 32 (14.1 per 1000 person-years); it fell markedly for both from age 32 to 38 (5.1 and 6.8 per 1000 person-years for men and women, respectively). Overall risk was significantly higher for women: adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.9 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.7); the sex difference was most marked from age 21 to 26 (3.4, 95% CI 1.9 to 6.3). Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with a greater biological susceptibility to HSV-2 among women, and with the increasing risk to the early/mid-20s for women and late 20s/early 30s for men, being driven by an increasing pool of prevalent infection. The reduced risk in the mid-30s is consistent with declining infectivity of long-term prevalent infections.
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Longitudinal study of self-reported sexually transmitted infection incidence by gender and age up to age thirty-two years | 2009
Paul, C., van Roode, T., Herbison, ... Show all » G. P. , Dickson, N. « Hide
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2009, 36(36), 63-69.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18797425
Our ref: RO576
Show abstract » OBJECTIVES: To examine how incidence of self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) varies by gender and age, and the factors that influence this. METHODS: A longitudinal study of a cohort born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1972/1973. They were questioned about STIs and sexual behavior at age 21, 26, and 32 years (1993-2005). Incidence rates were calculated over 3 age periods and compared using Poisson regression. RESULTS: Of the 1037 members of the original cohort, 92% or more of survivors completed the computer questionnaire at each age. Incidence rates of STIs from first coitus to age 21, age 21 to 26, and age 26 to 32, were 2.0, 3.2, and 2.0 per 100 person-years, respectively for men and 4.4, 3.0, and 1.4 per 100 person-years, respectively for women. After adjustment for sexual behavior, rates for men were elevated from age 21 to 26 compared with first coitus to 21 years of age [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3 to 2.8), but not from age 26 to 32 (IRR = 1.1, 95% CI 0.70-1.9). For women, adjusted rates decreased with age; from 21 to 26 compared with first coitus to 21 (IRR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.56-1.1) and further from 26 to 32 (IRR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.27-0.57). CONCLUSIONS: These unique data, comprising repeated assessment of reported behaviors and STIs in the same population, show that the period before age 21 is a time of special risk for STIs for women and of lower risk for men. The low risk among women aged 26 to 32 years after adjustment for sexual behavior warrants further investigation.
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Risk of herpes simplex virus type 2 acquisition increases over early adulthood: evidence from a cohort study | 2007
Dickson, N., van Roode, T., Herbison, ... Show all » G. P. , Taylor, J. , Cunningham, A. L. , Paul, C. « Hide
Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2007, 83(83), 87-90.
Our ref: RO529
Show abstract » OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine how the risk of acquisition of herpes simplex type 2 infection varies with age and sex in early adulthood. Design/ SETTING: A cohort study of 1037 children established at age three from those born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1972/3. PARTICIPANTS: At the age 32 assessment, 884 participants (432 women and 452 men), 87.1% of the surviving cohort, provided both sera and information on sexual behaviour. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured the proportion with antibodies to HSV-2 infection at ages 26 and 32, then calculated the incidence rates from first coitus to age 26 and from age 26 to 32, adjusting for the number of sexual partners and same sex contact in these age periods. RESULTS: At age 32, 14.6% of men and 22.5% of women had antibodies to HSV-2. Up to age 26 the incidence rates were 6.5 and 14.3 per 1000 person-years for men and women respectively. From age 26 to 32 the incidence rates were 14.3 and 15.8 per 1000 person-years for men and women respectively. When adjusted for sexual behaviour, the incidence rate ratio, comparing the older to the younger age periods, was 2.9 (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 4.9) for men and 2.0 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 3.4) for women. Comparing women to men, up to age 26 the adjusted incidence rate ratio was 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.6 to 4.0) and from age 26 to 32, 1.3 (95% confidence interval 0.78 to 2.2). A test for interaction indicated that men and women had different patterns of incidence over time (p=0.039). CONCLUSION: In the general population, risk of acquiring HSV-2 infection appears to increase with age at least to the early 30s, and differences in risk of acquisition for women compared to men become less with age. Health promotion and treatment to control HSV-2 infection should be aimed at all ages, not just the young.
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Herpes simplex virus type-2 status at age 26 is not related to early circumcision in a birth cohort | 2005
Dickson, N., van Roode, T., Paul, ... Show all » C. « Hide
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2005, 32(32), 517-519.
Our ref: RO489
Show abstract » Objectives: To determine if circumcision in early childhood affects the risk of acquiring herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) infection. Study Design: Study members were born in 1972/73 in Dunedin, New Zealand. Circumcision status was sought at age 3, when the cohort was established. Information about sexual behaviour was obtained at ages 21 and 26. Serum was tested for HSV-2 antibodies at age 26 for 435 men (82.9% of the surviving cohort). Results: Of eligible men, 40.2% had been circumcised. The prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies was 7.3% in uncircumcised men and 7.4% in circumcised men. Social and sexual factors were very similar between the two groups and adjustment had no effect on the association (odds ratio=1.1, 95% CI 0.46-2.5). Seroconversion rates according to years since first sexual intercourse were 0.85 and 0.86 per 100 person-years for uncircumcised and circumcised men. Conclusion: The results support a lack of association between circumcision status and HSV-2 acquisition, although a small effect cannot be ruled out.
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Rising incidence and prevalence of herpes simplex type 2 infection in a cohort of 26 year old New Zealanders | 2001
Eberhart-Phillips, J., Dickson, N. , Paul, ... Show all » C. , Herbison, G. P. , Taylor, J. , Cunningham, A. L. « Hide
Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2001, 77(77), 353-357.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11588282
Our ref: RO388
Show abstract » OBJECTIVES: To examine changes in the incidence and prevalence of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infection in a birth cohort of 26 year old New Zealanders in whom seroprevalence had been measured at 3.4% at age 21. METHODS: Sera from 869 cohort members were tested using an indirect IgG enzyme linked immunoassay specific to the HSV-2 glycoprotein G. Serological results were compared with detailed sexual histories. RESULTS: In all, 96 participants (11%) were seropositive for HSV-2, including at least 56 who seroconverted after their 21st birthday. Among those known to be seronegative at age 21, the annual seroconversion rate was 13.5 cases per 1000 per year, compared with 8.1 cases per 1000 per sexually active year before age 21. New infections were associated with female sex and an early age of first intercourse. The average rate of partner change was lower in the cohort after age 21, and was only modestly increased among those who acquired new HSV-2 infections between ages 21 and 26. CONCLUSIONS: HSV-2 seroprevalence has risen sharply in this sexually active cohort, despite a reduction in the overall level of partner change. Increased rates of HSV-2 acquisition after age 21 may be due to a higher prevalence of infection in the pool of potential partners encountered during the third decade of life. Factors related to partner choice may have more influence on the risk of HSV-2 infection than the number of sexual partners alone.
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Herpes simplex type 2 infection in a cohort aged 21 years. | 1998
Eberhart-Phillips, J., Dickson, N., Paul, ... Show all » C., Fawcett, J.P., Holland, D., Taylor, J., Cunningham, A.L. « Hide
Sexually Transmitted Infections, 1998, 74(74), 216-218.
Our ref: RO327
Show abstract » OBJECTIVES: To measure the prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies in a birth cohort of 21 year old New Zealanders from whom detailed sexual histories had been obtained, and to assess the potential for HSV-2 serology in characterising a young adult population's risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD). METHODS: Sera from 784 cohort members were tested using an indirect IgG enzyme linked immunoassay specific to the HSV-2 glycoprotein G. Positive results were confirmed by western blot. RESULTS: In all, 27 subjects were seropositive for HSV-2 (3.4%), only seven of whom gave a history of genital herpes (26%). Risk among females increased with lifetime number of partners, while risk for males increased with having a first partner who was aged 16 years or under. CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection in this cohort was low, but similar to that seen in several other populations in this age group. HSV-2 seropositivity did not appear to be a sensitive marker for high risk sexual activity in this young population. This may be because a critical mass of HSV-2 carriers has not accumulated among potential partners by age 21 years.
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