Herpes virus type 2 infection and genital symptoms in primary care patients.

Objective: We aimed to identify whether genital symptoms were associated with unrecognized herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection in a primary care population.

Methods: Five thousand four hundred fifty-two individuals aged 18 to 59 seeking general care at 36 suburban medical offices in 6 U.S. cities were tested for HSV-2 antibody and asked about 10 types of genital symptoms. In patients with no known history of genital herpes, we assessed whether HSV-2 infection was independently associated with symptoms.

Results: HSV-2 infection was associated with increases in reports of "sores, blisters, ulcers, crusts, or small cuts/slits" in men [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.79; 95% CI, 1.24-2.58] and with increases in reports of "redness, irritation, or a rash" among women (adjusted OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.06-2.11). HSV-2 was not significantly associated with other types of genital symptoms.

Conclusions: Primary-care physicians should consider unrecognized HSV-2 infection as a potential cause of some common genital symptoms.