Biomaterial Database

Prevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, cytomegalovirus, and varicella-zoster virus infections in Eritrea. 1999

H Ghebrekidan, and U Rudén, and S Cox, and B Wahren, and M Grandien

Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Microbiology and Tumour Biology Centre, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm.

BACKGROUND Herpesviruses establish latent infections in their hosts for life. The scarcity of data that exists in regard to herpesvirus infections in many African regions, could partly be due to the mild nature of their primary infections and the lack of means for their proper diagnosis. However, in recent decades the alarming spread of HIV infection in Africa and associated frequent reactivation of herpesvirus infections is leaving less room for neglect. This seroprevalence study is intended to help in the evaluation of the prevalence of herpesvirus infections in Eritrea. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the spread of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections. METHODS The study population groups comprise female sex workers (FSW), former guerrilla fighters, truck drivers, port workers, a tribe called Rashaida, pregnant women, children under 5 years of age, and children over 5 years of age. The groups of pregnant women and children under and over 5 years of age were included to form a background for the evaluation of groups considered at risk for sexually transmitted or blood borne infections. RESULTS All study groups had a high seroprevalence of HSV-1 infections ( > 80%), except for the children under 5 years of age. The FSW had the highest prevalence of HSV-2 infections, 80%, followed by guerrilla fighters, truck drivers, port workers, pregnant women, children, and the Rashaidas. Positivity for antibodies against CMV was > 90% in all studied populations. The prevalence of VZV infections was surprisingly low in the tribe of Rashaida, 44% compared to more than 90% in the other adult groups tested for VZV (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The study shows that the prevalence of HSV-2 in the risk group of FSW was high, which could partly be explained by their sexual behaviours. HSV-2 was particularly low in the Rashaida group and, as expected, in the children. The low prevalence of VZV observed in the Rashaida is of importance since it makes them vulnerable to infection with varicella during their inevitable integration with the other tribes in their society.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D003586	Cytomegalovirus Infections	Infection with CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, characterized by enlarged cells bearing intranuclear inclusions. Infection may be in almost any organ, but the salivary glands are the most common site in children, as are the lungs in adults.	CMV Inclusion,CMV Inclusions,Congenital CMV Infection,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalic Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Colitis,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Inclusion Disease,Perinatal CMV Infection,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infection,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Salivary Gland Virus Disease,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infection,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infections,Infections, Cytomegalovirus,CMV Infection, Congenital,CMV Infection, Perinatal,Colitis, Cytomegalovirus,Congenital CMV Infections,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infections,Cytomegalic Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Colitides,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Congenital,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Perinatal,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Severe,Cytomegalovirus Infections, Severe,Disease, Cytomegalic Inclusion,Disease, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Diseases, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalic,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion Diseases,Inclusion Diseases, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion, CMV,Inclusion, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Congenital CMV,Infection, Congenital Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Perinatal CMV,Infection, Perinatal Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Severe Cytomegalovirus,Perinatal CMV Infections,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infections
D005260	Female		Females
D006558	Herpes Genitalis	Infection of the genitals (GENITALIA) with HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS in either the males or the females.	Genital Herpes,Herpes Simplex, Genital,Herpes Simplex Virus Genital Infection,Genital Herpes Simplex,Herpes, Genital
D006561	Herpes Simplex	A group of acute infections caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2 that is characterized by the development of one or more small fluid-filled vesicles with a raised erythematous base on the skin or mucous membrane. It occurs as a primary infection or recurs due to a reactivation of a latent infection. (Dorland, 27th ed.)	Herpes Simplex Virus Infection
D006562	Herpes Zoster	An acute infectious, usually self-limited, disease believed to represent activation of latent varicella-zoster virus (HERPESVIRUS 3, HUMAN) in those who have been rendered partially immune after a previous attack of CHICKENPOX. It involves the SENSORY GANGLIA and their areas of innervation and is characterized by severe neuralgic pain along the distribution of the affected nerve and crops of clustered vesicles over the area. (From Dorland, 27th ed)	Shingles,Zona,Zoster
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults