Inapparent Genital Herpes Simplex Infection in Women Attending a Venereal Disease Clinic

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic genital infection with herpes simplex virus in women attending a venereal disease clinic in Puerto Rico. Genital samples were obtained from 123 consecutively enrolled patients. Vero cells were used for viral isolation; isolates demonstrating cytopathic effect were stored at -70 C and were typed by use of monoclonal antibodies. Herpes simplex virus was isolated from six patients, three of whom were free of any possible complaint that might be associated with a genital herpes virus infection. One patient was diagnosed as having herpetic cervicitis, and the remaining two were clinically diagnosed as well as laboratory confirmed cases of genital herpes. Virus isolated from all six women was identified as herpes simplex virus type 2. Thus the prevalence of laboratory confirmed genital herpes infection in women attending this clinic was 4.9% (6/123). Inapparent virus infection was detected in 2.5% (3/120) of the patients.