[Characteristics and role of the gluteal herpes in a female population]

Based on the fact that the gluteal herpes may constitute the clinical expression of the reactivation of a Herpes simplex virus latent at the sacral lymph node, we investigated a group of women who were carriers of gluteal herpetic infection, the characteristics of the infection, the virus type principally associated to it, and its possible relation with the genital herpes. Forty one women with gluteal herpes verified by virologic laboratory were studied. 75.7% of these women had had in addition to this herpetic infection in other places, mainly genital, with an average of 7.2 of recurrent episodes per year, (range: 1 to 18 episodes yearly). 78% of the isolated virus was typified as HSV-2 by the use of monoclonal antibodies. It is stand out the importance of considering the background of gluteal herpes as causative of classification of herpetic high risk.