Herpes simplex virus type 2 antibodies: high prevelence in monogamous women in Costa Rica

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1989We studied the prevalence of antibody to Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) in 766 randomly selected Costa Rican women 25-59 years of age in a national household survey in 1984-1985. Overall, 97.1% were seropositive for HSV-I and 39.4% for HSV-2. Only 1.1% of HSV-2 seropositive women gave a history of symptomatic genital herpes. HSV-2 virus antibody increased with age and with the number of lifetime sexual partners. HSV-2 seroprevalence among women who reported only 1 lifetime sexual partner was almost twice as high as the prevalence among women who denied sexual experience (30.5% vs. 17.7%) and reached 79.2% among women with 2-.4 partners. HSV-2 seroprevalence was lower among women whose partners used condoms: 28.9% for those who had used condoms for at least 2 years vs 44.3% for those who never used condomsUniversidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA

Sexual Behavior, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Risk of Cervical Cancer

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1995. Este documento es privado debido a limitaciones de derechos de autor.To explore sexually transmitted diseases and sexual behavior as risk factors for cervical cancer, we analyzed data from a population-based case-control study of breast and cervical cancer in Costa Rica. Data from 415 cases of cervical carcinoma in situ, 149 cases of invasive cervical cancer, and 764 controls were included in the analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that lifetime number of sex partners, first intercourse before age 15 years, number of livebirths, herpes simplex virus type 2 seropositivity, and serologic evidence of previous chlamydial in? fection were predictors of carcinoma in situ. Serologic evidence of previous syphilis was not associated with carcinoma in situ. Predictors for invasive cervical cancer included lifetime num? ber of sex partners, first intercourse before age 15 years, number of livebirths, serologic evidence of previous syphilis, herpes simplex type 2 infection, and chlamydial infection. Cigarette smoking, socioeconomic status, self-reported history of sexually transmitted diseases, and douching were not associated with either carcinoma in situ or invasive cervical cancer. (Epidemiology 1995;6:409-414)Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en SaludUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA