CHICAGO — Women with bacterial vaginosis might face a higher risk of acquiring herpes simplex type 2 infections, said Dr. Emilia Koumans, a public health official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Her cross-sectional study couldn't assess the temporal relationship between the two infections, but it found that the prevalence of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infections was significantly higher in women with bacterial vaginosis (BV) than in those without BV, she reported at a meeting on STD prevention sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Koumans analyzed data for all sexually active women aged 20–49 years who were included in the 2001–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The women completed a detailed health survey and provided self-collected vaginal swabs for the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections. They also provided serum samples for HSV-2 serotyping.
Overall BV and HSV-2 prevalence varied significantly by age, race, and number of lifetime sexual partners. For those aged 20–29 years, prevalence of BV was 33% and HSV-2, 17%. For those aged 30–39, prevalence for both was 27%. For those aged 40–49, prevalence of BV was 30% and HSV-2, 34%.
HSV-2/BV coinfections were significantly more common in blacks (66%) than in whites or Mexican Americans (29% and 19%, respectively). Coinfections were also more common in those reporting 10 or more lifetime sexual partners (58% vs. 40% for those with 5–9 partners and 20% for those with 1–4 partners).
HSV-2 was significantly more common in those with BV than in those without BV (37% vs. 23%). The association was strong after controlling for age, race, and number of lifetime sexual partners. Dr. Koumans reported no financial disclosures.