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Neonatal herpes should be a reportable disease
H Hunter Handsfield1, Ann B Waldo, Zane A Brown
1University of Washington, Center for AIDS and STD, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA. hhh@u.washington.edu
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
|August 25, 2005
Summary
Neonatal herpes, a severe complication of genital herpes, should be a reportable condition. Current lack of surveillance hinders prevention efforts for this serious perinatal infection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Neonatal herpes is a severe complication of genital herpes and a frequent perinatal infection.
- It is the most common complication of sexually transmitted infections in children.
- Neonatal herpes is not a reportable condition in most U.S. states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To advocate for making neonatal herpes a reportable condition.
- To highlight the need for improved public health surveillance of neonatal herpes.
- To underscore the importance of reporting for prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of disease characteristics and public health reporting criteria.
- Analysis of the impact of current surveillance gaps on prevention.
- Evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic advances in managing neonatal herpes.
Main Results:
- Neonatal herpes meets criteria for mandatory reporting, including incidence, severity, and socioeconomic costs.
- Lack of national surveillance fosters underestimation of the condition's prevalence.
- Underestimation impedes prevention efforts by healthcare providers and public health officials.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal herpes surveillance is crucial for effective prevention.
- Making neonatal herpes a reportable condition is essential for public health policy.
- Enhanced data collection will improve understanding and management of this serious infection.