A prospective study of herpes simplex virus infection in a defined population in Houston, Texas

A seroepidemiologic study was conducted to determine the incidence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus in a population of middle-class Caucasian women. In utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol did not influence the frequency of herpes simplex virus infection. The frequency of infection increased with age and number of sex partners and a 50% increase in incidence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection was noted during the 4-year period of the study. Subclinical herpes simplex virus type 2 infections apparently occurred in some women without preexisting antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1.