Changing patterns of genital herpes

Isolation rates for herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, recovered from oral and genital specimens submitted to the National Health Institute by clinicians within the Wellington region, were compared for two time-periods, 1971 to 1973 and 1981 to 1982 inclusive. The proportion of type 1 isolates from genital sites has increased from 4% to 11%, while conversely the proportion of type 2 isolates from oral sites has increased from 6% to 24%. Possible explanations for these trends are considered and the clinical and epidemiologic significance of this changing pattern is briefly discussed.