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. 2024 Aug 5;27(9):110652.
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110652. eCollection 2024 Sep 20.

Epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 1 in the United States: Systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions

Rwedah A Ageeb  1   2 , Manale Harfouche  1   2 , Hiam Chemaitelly  1   2   3 , Laith J Abu-Raddad  1   2   3   4   5
Affiliations

Epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 1 in the United States: Systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions

Rwedah A Ageeb et al. iScience. .

Abstract

This study aimed to analytically describe the epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in the United States through a systematic review and meta-analytics. We reviewed 159 publications, identifying 190 seroprevalence measures and 43 proportions of HSV-1 detection in genital herpes. The pooled mean HSV-1 seroprevalence was 38.0% (95% CI: 30.9-45.4) among general-population children and 63.5% (95% CI: 61.3-65.7) among general-population adults. Age explained 43% of the seroprevalence variation, with rates increasing progressively with age. Seroprevalence declined by 0.99-fold (95% CI: 0.99-0.99) per year. The pooled mean proportion of HSV-1 detection in genital herpes was 15.4% (95% CI: 10.8-20.6), increasing by 1.02-fold (95% CI: 1.00-1.04) per year. Recurrent genital herpes had a 0.17-fold (95% CI: 0.09-0.32) lower proportion of HSV-1 detection compared to first-episode cases. The epidemiology of HSV-1 is shifting, marked by a decline in oral acquisition during childhood and an increase in genital acquisition during adulthood.

Keywords: Disease; Health sciences.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

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Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of article selection for the systematic review of HSV-1 infection in the United States, according to PRISMA guidelines
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